Chiaroscuro
by Thinkette
Summary: Meet Levy McGarden: an aspiring painter with a major case of artist's block. Enter Gajeel Redfox: all around rascal and rulebreaker without a care in the world. "It would be so much easier to draw him if he was in front of me...not just in my mind." AU
1. It's Just Rain

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_"The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it."_

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The young girl sighed as she stared at her blank canvas for what seemed to be the 30th time that night. Everything she learned in art school was running through her brain, itching at her, trying to get her hands to twitch, to move, to pick up the paints or the pencil, charcoal or, heck, ANYTHING and just DRAW.

But she was uninspired. She leaned her cheek down onto her open palm and closed her eyes. Maybe this was just how it was supposed to be. After all, she was still relatively fresh out of art school. Despite graduating top of her class, both in grades and number of completed works, she was finding it difficult to do much of ANYTHING by the way of artistry as of late. She had picked through almost every single tome she kept in her small studio, looking at pictures and reading beautiful text to get a creative spark running through her brain but nothing happened.

There was no ignition, no new idea. Finally, after rummaging through her entire bookshelf she had given up and plopped herself down in front of the blank page, staring at it as if she could make an image appear.

"This is hopeless…." She sighed again. "It was never this hard before." Her eyes downturned and her entire body slumped.

Meet Levy McGarden: aspiring painter. At first glance, you would assume her to be full of creative energy. After all, her bright yellow shirt and wavy blue locks spoke of rich color, her sparkling brown eyes full of intelligence and the cock of hips translating her spunk. But Levy was finding it harder and harder to draw, paint, sketch, color or, well, do much of ANYTHING along the lines of an artistic flow as of late. It wasn't as if she didn't have talent, no. Levy had graduated with praise claiming she was one of the best painters the school had seen for a long time.

It was just that there was only so many beautiful images of a night sky one could paint before their hands began to have a muscle memory of where every star went. Upon realizing this, Levy became determined to do something different. And the second she did, she found that she suddenly couldn't do much at all.

She had been making a meager living off of commissions and various jobs where she painted models. Many a sculptor had hired her to paint, accurately, an image of a model or scene so they could study it at length for hours in the confines of their own studies, able to take as long as they want to perfect their own art. They would seek her out because of her sparkling recommendations, often stating that her painting lent a deeper insight on the image than a photograph. In fact, Levy was making a decent living. She could afford to live in an apartment in a safe part of town, not to mention food, toiletries and the studio itself, including all the supplies needed.

But if she was so good, why was NOTHING coming to her? Gently, she lifted her head from her hand and looked around the small studio once more. She shared the space with one of her closest friends, Lucy Heartphilia. And, at first look, you'd assume her to a model.

What a shock it must be to EVERYONE when they find that she prefers designing the clothes and watching them on a runway rather than being in them herself. Levy could find solace with that, as she was more than she appeared, just as Levy was. The woman was a buxom blonde with bright brown eyes, similar to Levy's own. Lucy stood at a beautiful 5 feet and 7 inches, her long hair straight and shining as she walked, swinging around her lower back. Lucy was the person who helped Levy reach some of the paints her taller friends placed on the high shelves and they both had plenty to talk about.

They met in art school. Levy had accidentally bumped into the beauty when she was rushing to her class, half eaten piece of toast being chewed in her mouth as she held her various supplies in her hands. Upon colliding, she noticed how the woman had heaps of fabric in her arms and was unable to see her. Levy had apologized profusely, expecting her to angry, but she only picked up her things and asked if she was alright. When she noticed the toast on the floor, she offered to help Levy to lunch as an apology and the two became inseparable since then.

So, it would make sense for Levy to look off at the corner Lucy kept her things at. After all, the beautiful creations she made were inspiring in their own right. But she had drawn countless pictures of them. Lucy's most recent project was a set of 12 dresses to match the zodiac, as the woman was a complete nerd for astronomy, and Levy had drawn the dresses as people at one point. It earned the two of them a rather large sum from a woman who was completely infatuated with the designs and the dresses were being modified to suit her figure, something Lucy was increasingly good at.

Still, the curling lace on the table, the scraps of lilac and pink, the collage of different textures sweeping over the floors and counters did nothing to spark her. Levy was about to lay her head down again when she heard the door open and a sweet voice flit in through the room.

"Lev? I brought food, you in here?" Lucy asked, stepping through the door, her back against the wood keeping it open as she carried in the bags full of take out and fabric inside. Levy quickly got up and held the door open, making certain that there was plenty of space for the other to get through and grabbed a bag of her own, easing Lucy's burden.

The bluenette gently clicked the door closed with her foot and watched as Lucy dropped down the bags onto an empty space on the table. She let out a small and happy breath of relief before looking at Levy.

"Sorry." She said, smiling. "I was planning on just getting food, but the Gallery was having a sale on silk! Can you believe it! Practically half priced. I would be crazy not to go in!"

Levy only gave her a smile in return. "I'm glad you found some things."

She grinned. "Me too! There was some gorgeous lace there too. I've just been on a roll recently." The shorter girl went to the table to help the girl unpack and Lucy was practically jumping around with her excitement. "So, what about you? How's plan "Something New" going?"

When she saw Levy's face drop, she knew that it wasn't going that well. Her hands stopped and she faced her.

"It's…just not as easy as it used to be." Levy said, looking worryingly at her blank canvas.

Lucy's eyes softed. "Well, maybe you just have to wait. It could be sparked by something…anything."

A soft sigh followed. "Maybe….I just don't know what to do. Everything I've sketched around the city looks horrid! The graffiti isn't as magical when I'm just copying it off the brick wall. I can't capture the twinkle in the eye of the kids that run around in the park. Nothing is coming to life!"

Lucy set a gentle hand on her friend's shoulder, carefully guiding her into her seat and pulling a chair next to her.

"Tell me about it?"

Levy sighed. Usually, she was a quiet and shy girl, caring more to be the listener than the complainer. She was content with leveling out her frustrations on paper, spattering paint at a wall or just jogging for an hour in the early morning. Though, recently, she felt like she was just losing grasp of her control. Her blockage of creativity was itching at her skin in a way that was incredibly irritable but more so worrying.

So she let go.

"Lucy, I just…I'm just getting concerned that…maybe I didn't make the right choice, you know? What if art school was a waste? Maybe I…maybe I'm not meant to be a painter. Nothing is coming out right. It's all clean and simple, the lines are in the right places, the images are real enough but nothing brings them to life! Everything is….everything is just a mess."

Lucy's mouth screwed up in sympathy and she pat her friend's knee. "It'll work out if it's meant to."

"That's the thing though!" Levy said, looking incredibly concerned, her hands starting to shake. "What if it's not meant to work out? What if I made the wrong choice? What else can I do, Lucy? I've wanted to be a painter since I was 7! I used to dip my pigtails in watercolor so I could have a proper paintbrush. I…I don't know what else there is for me if painting doesn't work out…I mean, you have novels if design is null! You're such a good writer! All I can do is read them…I suck at writing."

Lucy looked fierce. "Stop right there!" She said. "You are an incredibly talented, incredibly beautiful and incredibly intelligent woman! You are good at so many things! You sew, you knit, you paint and sketch. Your singing is beautiful and you know 6 different languages. SIX! You have so much you can do if painting suddenly stops interesting you."

"….But painting still interests me…it's me that art has lost interest in."

"No!" Lucy said again. "No, art has not lost interest in you! You'll find your creative flow. It's just a block, right?"

"…Right…maybe…Maybe you're right."

"Of course I am!"

"But…Lucy, what if…what if I was never meant to be a painter?"

At that, the blond looked at her, her mouth screwed up and her eyes squinting. "Does it make you happy?"

"W-what?" Levy asked, rearing back a few inches from her friend's intense stare.

"Does it make you happy? When you paint, are you happy?"

"….yes." she whispered.

All Lucy did was nod. "Then you're meant to be a painter. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Happiness is what everyone wants. If painting gives it to you, you're meant to paint."

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The words had lifted the young girl's spirits, but it had been a week and still, nothing was coming to her. Lucy had noticed that the weather channel said it was going to rain a few hours ago. It hadn't rained for months and Levy had a feeling that tonight would be a night where she might find some inspiration, even if it was just in the moist drops that fell from the sky. Lucy offered to stay with her and get her some clean sleep clothes, an umbrella, some food and a few more sheets as she lived closer to the studio than Levy did. The idea of having her close friend spend a stormy night on her own in a dark studio, camping out on the floor didn't sit well with her, so she offered to stay the night with her and the other woman had accepted her generosity.

Levy had been spending nights at the studio in case inspiration struck her in her sleep. She wanted to have all the supplies she needed at her disposal if the first spark of creativity hit her in her slumber and she wasn't going to let a little rain bother her. Levy also knew that Lucy would bring far more than she should and would have a hard time opening the door, so Levy left it unlocked so the woman could find her way in easily.

She wasn't worried. The studio was not only small but unimpressive. It was more like a shack and it was nestled in a place where most wouldn't care to look. Besides, Lucy lived only 10 minutes away. Levy expected her back at the studio in half an hour and she was sure nothing bad would happen in that time.

Still, not even 15 minutes had passed until the rain began to go down. Levy scowled and reached for her headband, carefully pulling up her hair. Her uncomfortable expression grew soft when the sweet smell of the droplets ran through the place from the open door. She felt the breeze rustle the long sleeves of her orange shirt and smiled. Yes, rain might be just what she needs to begin painting again.

She settled down in her comfortable nest of pillows and looked at the books laid out in front of her. Stories upon stories with pictures accompanying them filled her eyes. The sound of thunder rumbled and she looked up, glancing through the window to see the sharp crack of lightening. Frowning, Levy hoped that Lucy would be okay. If worse came to worse, the woman would just call her and tell her that she was sorry and that she would like to stay in her apartment.

Levy would understand. She wasn't overly concerned, but it was still a bit worrisome if she decided to go out in that pouring rain with her hands full by herself. Still, she knew that the blonde was anything but stupid, and she knew her limits and what was safe, so she wasn't very concerned. Suddenly, she felt herself get brought out of her small daze when a tiny ball of fur went running and slammed right into the side of her leg.

Surprised, she reached out for the creature. It didn't flinch away from her but was shaking, it's ears flattened against its skull, looking terrified. She gently cradled it in her arms.

It was a small black cat, with strangely round ears as opposed to pointed. It's dark fur was up and the creature seemed to have its claws out. Upon checking, she found that it was a male and gently smiled.

"Awww, are you okay?" She asked, stroking the poor thing's fur. "Is it the storm?"

The cat only continued to shake, curling up in her arms until it seemed to be an indistinguishable ball of absolute adorableness. Levy cooed at the creature, petting him carefully and rubbing him behind the ears. The cat wasn't dirty, but it was wet, she noted. There was no collar but she knew it couldn't be a stray. The creature was clean and soft, with no signs of malnourishment.

She didn't know if she had been petting him for five minutes or 20. She was so caught up in her comfort that she only jolted when she heard the heavy thumping of footsteps and how the sound seemed to crescendo, a sure sign that someone was coming.

'That…oh no, that doesn't sound like Lucy…' She thought, jumping up and running to a corner with the shaking cat. She knew that a small woman, weighting only 135 pounds would not be making those hulking and loud steps and she was incredibly thankful that the lights were dim and she could hide in a corner where the shadows were darkest. With nothing more than a squeak, she jumped down and huddled herself under the small metal table where she kept her paints. It was a tiny corner and a small desk, but it was much more inconspicuous than Lucy's large table where she kept her fabric.

The footsteps got louder and louder, the sound of thunder lending an eerie and almost terrifying aspect to the entire ordeal.

"Lily? Jesus fucking Christ! You shitty ass cat! It's a fucking storm! Come on, Lil, where the hell are you?" She heard. The second she noted how deep and rumbling the voice was, she saw a man stepping into her studio and stiffened.

He was TALL; at least 6 feet if she had to guess and broad. He looked like he measured two of her in width, like he could just completely eclipse her. One hand was on his face, pushing back dark ebony hair off of his cheeks and forehead, trying to have it join the long, spiky locks that went down his back. His skin was tanned and speckled with heavy silver piercings. They were on his nose, lips and eyebrows. Or, at least they would be if he HAD eyebrows. But that wasn't what made Levy so on edge. No it was the eyes that the studs were over. Through the dim lighting of her small studio, she saw the shining of his red orbs and felt her own body stiffen more.

'Oh god…oh god…he's…'

"Lily? Fuck, you dumbass cat, I saw you come in here!" He shouted. His chest seemed to rumble and move under his shirt and she saw the muscles on his arms quiver as he clenched his fist. "The fuck is this place anyway?" he asked, showing signs of confusion. Levy had to withhold a gasp as he stepped around the small room, inspecting Lucy's side of the area.

"Dresses? The fuck? Oh, shit, am I trespassing?" he groaned. "You fat and dumb as hell cat! You're gonna get me locked up, aren't you? Ugh! Just come out al-fucking-ready."

She saw his scowl, his lean movements. His shirt had no sleeves and showed off the tattoos on his arms perfectly. They ran down his skin fully in black and white, embellished by four studs on each arm. She felt her throat tighten as he moved into the perfect lighting, stepping right in front of the window. She had to suppress her gasp when she saw the lightening flash behind him and the shadows played on his face and body.

Her hands shook, her legs trembled.

'Oh god…he's…he's perfect…Where has he been hiding?' her eyes were wide, her daze so oblivious, focusing on nothing but him so she couldn't feel the small cat squirming, couldn't feel him trying to run to warmth and comfort of his actual owner.

She felt the creative spark in her belly and the shaking of her palms. She hadn't felt her fingers twitch and ache for a pencil that much for a long time. She wanted to immortalize him in paper, in charcoal. He'd transfer perfectly onto canvas, his posture, his expression. It was perfect, she knew she could bring life to a painting of him.

And then she heard it. It was the worst sound that she could have possibly heard and she felt her eyes widen even farther. The cat meowed again, loudly and she saw the man snap his head over to where she was hiding, his own bloody red orbs widening at the sight of her.

She felt her breath catch and her belly flop. His mouth had opened and her arms went lax, allowing the cat to escape and hide under a soaked pant leg that went undone from his heavy black boots. He blinked his eyes owlishly at her and she felt the silence choke out the most dorky thing she could have said to him.

"Oh snicker-doodle."

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**Why! Oh, plot bunnies, why? I don't even know if I should continue this or not. It's just that I felt this idea wiggle into my brain while I was listening to "Your Song" and I couldn't resist! I don't even know what I'm gonna have everyone do in this. So if anyone has any suggestions, please?  
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**Also, I'm still on the fence about continuing this, so if you feel that it's a waste of time, please tell me! ANY feedback is appreciated.  
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	2. Crazy Lady Say What?

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_"One never knows what one is going to do. One starts a painting and then it becomes something quite different."_  
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To say that he had been expecting her to say that would be a shit faced lie. At her exclamation, he could only stare at her in blatant confusion. Levy bit her lip, her entire body tightening. She felt her muscles stand on edge and he didn't look very comfortable either, his studs up at his hairline, licks of hair in his face and eyes that he made no move to push away. The water was dripping down his cheeks and his lower lip dropped down, just barely, leaving him gaping at her like she was some kind of animal. He blinked, moving only slightly. Levy saw a glint in his mouth, shining like a diamond and she inhaled sharply.

It seemed to bring him out of his stupor.

"What the actual fuck? Snicker doodle? Fucking snicker doodle?" He asked, his eye twitching. The black cat, Lily, she assumed, jerked away from his owner at the crack of thunder and ran under a different table, accidentally forcing random things to the floor. She watched with wide eyes as Lily went frantic, bumping into her paint tins and then a mannequin stand, forcing the items to the ground. The sharp clangs echoed off the walls of the small place and Levy yelped loudly, jerking upward and hitting her head against the metal desk. Instantly, her hands went to the crown of her skull, feeling the swelling. She hissed in through her clenched teeth as she grasped her blue locks between her fingers.

"No, seriously. What the literal fuck?" He asked, looking absolutely confused. "Why the hell are you under a…a bloody desk? The hell? And you're in a goddamn shack! A SHACK! What in the seven layers of hell is wrong with you? Christ, are you one of those bloody crazy women, hiding out in the middle of nowhere and going batshit insane?"

She scowled at him, the pain of her bump aiding her slight frustration. She felt her head throb. He stepped into her space, had his cat wreck various things, made a puddle in her sleeping area and was screaming at her?

Oh no.

"Excuse me? You are in MY studio and you're cursing in my face? How rude! How…" she winced. "How undignified! I'm sitting here, half scared out of my wits because your kitten ran into me headfirst and I thought you were some MURDERER! What kind of person just walks into a building during a THUNDERSTORM?"

She got out from under the desk and stood up, making sure to keep a decent distance between them. Gajeel was appalled to say the least. It was ridiculously hard to see in the place. If it were still day, the rain would have made it dim, but with the dusk settling in, it felt like nighttime. The entire shack was only about the size of a bedroom and it was a complete mess. He fought off the urge to grimace when he realized he had stepped on a few pillows and sheets on the floor. When she had been huddled over, the shadows aided her in looking larger, more intimating. Gajeel had felt his hackles rise, preparing for a fight.

So, when it was a petite woman who crawled out, he wanted to burst out into laughter. Okay, hostility gone. The shock of the entire situation was still wearing off, but at least the jolt of seeing such a tiny thing aided his comfort level. Besides, the breeze was softened in the place, and at least Lily had calmed down. Still, when he heard her yelling, he wanted to do nothing more than groan in annoyance and sheepishly rub his neck at the same time.

It's not like he got kicks out of scaring little girls.

And when Levy saw his awkward expression, the tiniest smidgen of guilt rubbed in her stomach. She had probably shocked him as much as he shocked her. It was true, after all, the studio did look like it was abandoned from the outside, and the only real light was candles because she was trying to get a good ambiance.

He sighed. "Listen, it's not my fault the door was open, okay? And Lily was scared! I didn't do it." He said, probably trying his hardest to appease her. Still, she felt her mouth twitch into a scowl.

"Are you saying it's MY fault then?" She asked incredulously. Her head throbbed again and she felt her eyebrow twitch. "I'm just a woman working on her paintings in her studio and YOU are a trespasser who scared me out of my wits!" She paused for a moment. "I expect an apology!"

"W-what?" He sputtered, looking absolutely flabbergasted. "The fuck? You were hiding under a DESK. A DESK! I ain't got shit to apologize for!" he said, looking so out of place in her tiny studio. Still, the woman held firm, clenching her little hands around her forearms, giving him a disapproving look. It was only common courtesy! He'd apologize for trespassing and she'd apologize for frightening him.

"So?" She asked "So what if I was hiding under a desk? Is there a law against hiding under desks?"

"No-" He started to say, lifting his hands up in an almost disarming way.

"Because if there is, one of my close friends is a lawyer and I'm sure she'll notify me."

"Look, lady-"

"And you have the…the GALL to break into my studio! You could have interrupted my creative flow! You could have RUINED a perfectly good sketch, a beautiful masterpiece."

"THAT'S what you're worried about?" He broke in, looking absolutely confused and surprised.

"And you are not even going to APOLOGIZE?" She shrieked, throwing her hands up in the air as she saw him sputter. She felt a small sense of pride swell in her. After all, he WAS a trespasser, despite his strangely attractive demeanor and she was not going to take someone coming into her sanctuary and cursing her to oblivion. Even if they _were_ oddly handsome and owned an adorable kitten.

Gajeel, on the other hand, was completely out of his comfort zone. The woman looked like she only went up to the base of his throat and she was acting like she was bigger than him! He could hardly even look her in the face, the shadows covering half of it and her hair, likely brown from what he could tell, was covering another portion, making her look like something from The Ring.

Well, at least it made arguing easier.

"Look, shrimp! I just want my fucking cat and I'll LEAVE!"

"Leave?" She said, clamping her fists tight down on her hips. "You owe me an apology! And if something is broken, you owe me replacements!"

"The fuck?" Replacements? Oh no, he didn't have the money for something like that. "I didn't do anything wrong! So what, I walked into your goddamn studio? You didn't look like you were doing jack shit under the damn desk with my cat." He said, snarling at her.

"Oh no! Don't you turn this on me!" Levy said, almost appalled by the man's lack of manners. After all, she was raised in a relatively polite atmosphere and no one had EVER disrespected her in the way that he was.

"I don't owe you an apology! For all I know, you broke in here. What fucking chick leaves her door open when you're not 5 minutes from the goddamn city?" She gasped.

"Excuse me? Are you accusing me of breaking into my OWN studio?" She asked, completely taken aback by his rudeness.

"Well, why not? I don't have any fucking proof of this being your place!" He said, throwing his own arms up in the air.

"Don't you patronize me!" She scolded. "You broke into my studio!"

"I stepped inside to help my CAT!"

"Your cat ruined my paints! YOU ruined my sleeping area!"

"Stop yelling, goddammit!"

"Don't tell me what to do! This is MY space! You…You foul mouthed ruffian!"

Her fists were clenched, her back ram-rod straight. She knew her eyes were ablaze but a piece of her was giddy. She hadn't gotten into an argument for a long time and it was new...interesting. After the long period she had experienced where she had a hard time sparking anything in her, to have someone be able to light a fire under her butt was just what she needed. It felt exhilarating to be able to take out her frustrations, seeing as painting hadn't been help much in that department as of late.

But still, foul mouthed ruffian? What kind of person even comes UP with an insult like that? "You…you bloody batshit shrimp!" She felt her head move back a few inches before she felt her eyebrows meet in a frown.

"Clumsy giant!"

"Cowering midget!" He threw back. She could swear she saw a gleam of amusement in his eyes and she had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from guffawing at him.

"Sputtering oaf!"

"Unimpressive pipsqueak!"

"Ridiculous trespasser."

"Fucking-"

"Levy!"

At Lucy's call and the flip of the lights, the bickering pair instantly snapped their heads to the slender blond. She looked at them in obvious confusion, a genuine baffled expression evident on her face. Her head was moving back and forth, from the bluenette to the black haired man in front of her. Upon seeing that, Levy slowly turned to look at him properly as he did the same.

Levy had deduced a lot about the man from what she could see by the limited light of the studio, but she didn't expect someone so unique. His eyes were sharp and exotic, aiding the air of danger he commanded with his perfectly symmetrical piercings and sharp features. His cheekbones were high and prominent, his lower lip fuller than his upper, his jaw chiseled and well defined. There were intricate swirls of ink and scars on his arms, dipping into his dripping wet black tank top, probably into a full blown back piece. A leather belt looked like it was slipping off his lean frame from the weight the rain added onto his tan pants. One pant leg had come undone from his black and silver boots, dripping excess water into a puddle on her floor.

Her hands were still shaking and, now that she was visible, she clenched them into fists, adamant that Lucy didn't notice. He was interesting in a way that no other object or person was (to her) for months. And, goodness gracious, THIS was who she was arguing with? She felt an embarrassed flush creep up on her.

He, on the other hand was baffled by the person standing in front of him. There was something about her that was obviously that of a woman, rather than a child or girl like he would have guessed from her height. What he thought was brown hair was actually blue, bright and wavy, flicking down and over her shoulders and long neck, licking at her prominent collar bones, visible due to the cut of her wide-necked orange blouse. He felt his eyes move down involuntarily, taking in the sliver of belly that was revealed and her denim shorts. You'd think, being as short as she is, that her legs wouldn't even go on for minutes but they seemed like they went on for days, especially with how slowly his eyes were raking down her image.

And suddenly, the spell was broken with a confused "Gajeel?" and he snapped his head back to the side to see his amused and smirking cousin, hands full of bags and rain dripping off his atrociously pink hair. Levy, likewise, looked particularly mortified at her open gawking.

"I…" he gulped. "I found Lily…" Gajeel said, his eyes wide at being caught staring and in a very awkward predicament. His red orbs found his cousin standing next to a tall woman, about the pink-haired boy's height, maybe an inch shorter who was holding a bunch of bags, same as he.

"…Explain." The blond said, looking around the studio and settling on her overturned mannequin and the black ball of fur that was shaking in the corner. Her gaze darkened. "Now."

* * *

To say that Lucy was confused would be an understatement. Not 40 minutes ago, she had seen her blue haired best friend bid her a safe trip so she could head off to her house. She was planning on getting everything as quickly as she could and had rummaged through her house to get everything quickly, throwing prepared food into various bags along with clean sheets, a pillow and various other things she felt that she'd need for staying over a night in a different place. It only took her about 5 minutes to get everything and she shoved it all in her arms. It was a bit awkward, but she managed to lock her door and she flit down her stairs quickly, telling her landlady "goodnight" as she practically flew outside, ignoring the older woman's shouts that it would rain.

She had walked for only two minutes before she felt the first fat drop of liquid drip down on her nose. She frowned softly, glad that she had packed up her things in plastic bags rather than paper. Still, the weight of her belongings would make it so that she couldn't run, and there was no point in heading back to her apartment. She sighed, knowing she was going to get soaked.

Her plan had been to rush off to the studio as fast as she could and getting just a bit damp for the last minute or two, she'd speedwalk. She hadn't expected the rain to come down until she was much, much closer to the place. Instead, she felt the sharp sting of the heavy falling on her bare arms. She walked at an even pace, knowing she was just going to have to dry off with a sheet or a few rags when she got back to the shack.

She walked for only about three more minutes, listening to the thunder and watching the lightening blooming in front of her, smiling softly at the comfortable breeze before she felt a sharp gust at her golden sandals. She looked down and forward, seeing a small black object darting out in front of her.

"OI!" A man called out, bumping into her and quickly scrambling up, running off after the thing.

"HEY!" Lucy called out, feeling the seat of her gray shorts getting soaked in the puddle that had accumulated on the concrete sidewalk. She could only watch as a tall and lumbering man ran after the tiny thing without looking back at her. Lucy sighed heavily, looking at her things, grateful that nothing had come loose out of their bags. Today did not seem to be her day. She began to move around, trying to get up without soaking herself even further so she could get her things.

She heard the light approach of footsteps and then a man was dropping down next to her. Surprised, she turned her head and a vision of pink hair graced her as he picked up the things around her. He didn't look up at her and she could only stare at him, her eyebrows up to her hairline. Suddenly, he looked up and asked her "Are you okay?"

Upon seeing his endless black eyes, framed by pink eyebrows, a genuine concern in his orbs, she felt her own go wide as a feeling of familiarity settled in her belly.

"N-Natsu?" she asked, completely taken aback. The man, likewise, seemed to know her and after a single moment of shock, he grinned, his teeth sharp and eyes squinting.

"LUCY!" He called out, quickly dropping her things back onto the sidewalk so he could wrap his arms around her.

"Natsu!" Lucy called out again, feeling her own grin settling on her face as she wrapped her slim arms around him as well, the soaking wet feeling of his hair not bothering her in the slightest.

She was shocked. She hadn't seen him for such a long time and here he was, helping her like he always seemed to. He aided her in getting up after their embrace, grabbing most of her bags and leaving her with only two as she beckoned him off to the studio. They talked excitedly, chatting easily. Lucy was overjoyed as she and Natsu had been the best of friends for years before he dropped out of school and moved to a different city. A piece of her had accepted that she wouldn't see him again, so seeing him was incredible. They were so caught up in their conversation that they only heard the yelling when they were a few steps away from the shack.

And then, here she was. The lights were on and the door closed. Natsu had talked to the dark haired man, settling him and calming him down. It was the pink haired man who had actually gotten Gajeel to sit down and not just walk out of the entire place which he looked like he wanted to do.

"So…let me get this straight." She said, a slender blonde brow raised. "You-" she pointed at the darker man. "knocked me down while I was walking and followed that thing-" a point at the kitten in his lap "into the studio, scaring her" a point at Levy "out of her wits, and somehow, you two got into an argument, out of the blue, and I and he" an inclined head to Natsu "interrupted?"

He was silent for a second, fidgeting on top of the table he settled his weight on. He rubbed the back of his head with one hand before he nodded.

Natsu laughed. "You have the worst luck Gajeel. Damn, I swear."

Gajeel sighed, scratching his neck.

Natsu only grinned. "D'awww, little Gajeel havin' trouble with his kitten!"

The man scoffed. "Trouble? Lily's just scared of thunder. At least I'm not the dumbass who dyed his cat BLUE and his hair PINK. You say I have bad luck?"

"Oi, don't insult the pink! It's my trademark!" He said.

Lucy felt herself smile, remembering. In all the time she knew him, he had pink locks. The story went that he had decided to mess with some red hair dye in the chemistry lab of their high school before she transferred and ended up making his black hair pink in one go. After deciding that he actually liked it, he kept up with it and was known as the Pink Haired Menace. In fact, Lucy and Natsu went back for a while. He had dropped out of art school his second year in, deciding instead to study pyrotechnics and focused on the composition of fireworks, his art, as a side hobby.

It had been five years since Lucy last saw him. After all, she was in her third year out of college and she was sure he was only one out, having to make up his credits with his new major. It was a great thing that they met again, but Lucy felt the entire experience dampen and her smile slid off her face. If anyone had bad luck in that room, it was Levy. The girl had a dark pink flush on her cheeks, looking uncomfortable and avoiding Gajeel's figure. Instead, she was staring off into the corners, wringing her hands around. Lucy nearly clucked her tongue in sympathy. She knew that the girl had been having a hard time reigning in her emotions with how her artistic flow was going and she had even lashed out at pencils.

Still, the ebony haired man didn't seem to be all that comfortable either. After all, he WAS a trespasser, and he had actually gotten into an argument, probably out of habit. Gajeel seemed to keep his hands occupied by comforting his cat. At every sharp boom of thunder, he would rub him behind the ears and under the chin, effectively calming the feline. Lucy felt a her nerves settle a bit; after all, he was a stranger: a seemingly violent stranger, too, and seeing him being so gentle seemed to disarm him. It certainly didn't help that he was covered in tattoos and piercings, red eyes glowing. Every time her eyes settled on him, she felt a shiver run down her spine. Natsu insisted that everyone stay there to wait out the storm, grinning when he added that it would be a good time to get to know everyone and to catch up and she couldn't deny him.

But, catch up they didn't, and after Gajeel's confirmation of the situation, the entire place settled in a pregnant pause, uncomfortable and weird, like when a stranger sits down next to you on the Metro. In fact, it seemed like his very presence was making her sky haired friend nervous and twitchy and Lucy knew that Levy was probably chiding herself on the inside about her lack of control, but there was also something else about her that she couldn't place. Lucy was taking in the details of her friend, interrupted only when Gajeel stood up, scooping his cat into one arm and turning, walking to the door.

Natsu's eyebrows furrowed. "Oi, scrap metal, the hell you think you're doing?" He asked, seeming a hint concerned.

"I'm going back to the apartment. And if you're not home by morning, I'm kicking that blue retard out of the damn house." He said, not even turning to look at him. Levy had lifted her head and looked at his retreating back. Lucy saw her hands stop wringing themselves and her fingers seeming to twitch around one another. The blonde felt her eyes widen, her lower lip dropping.

No way. Of all the people to be inspired by!

"Oi, Happy's not a retard. And just wait an hour. The rain'll let up and we can go home."

"Why the hell should I wait? It's fucking rain. I've seen worse."

"But Lily'll be flipping."

"I can handle a fucking cat."

Natsu just rolled his eyes. "Poor Lil."

Gajeel only grunted, heading out to the door. Levy bit her lip as she watched him go, an indefinable look on her face, as if she was debating whether or not to say something. She seemed too torn to make a decision, and right before he went out the door, he hesitated for the briefest moment. Carefully, he looked over his shoulder, his hair sliding on his cheek as he did so. He wanted to get out of the place as fast as possible. Gajeel was not a social person on ANY kind of level and even if Natsu specifically asked him to stay, there was no way he was going to spend any extra time there. Still, Gajeel felt the stare on his back and he just had to see who it was.

Red eyes met brown and his face bloomed into a smirk, making a single canine slip from his lips. Ah, it was the one with an attitude. His eyes softened, just a hint, at seeing her. He kept eye contact with her for just a second before he turned, determining that a staring contest was not what he wanted to leave her with. As he opened the door, stepping out, Pantherlily already digging his claws in, he let a single phrase escape from his lips, hoping that she understood what he was doing. He heard his own voice call out "Spunky little pixie" over the click of the door, his smirk still etched on his face as he imagined her expression.

And then he was gone, her gasp and huff unheard over the boom of the storm.

* * *

**So...I'm continuing it! I'm absolutely shocked at the positive feedback I've gotten on this story so far. Seriously, every time I got a message about a new follow, a favorite or a review, I just kind of stared at the screen for a few seconds. Thanks go out to: Lu, FairyTailxoLove, StarInTheDream, Miss Mungoe, Levina, gottabesomebody, Killer Moon Lover, Rosa Pendragon, Tiger1214, Jadeypoop, HeirToTheShadows and all three Guests! Thank you!  
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_Also, how do you guys feel on pairings? (other than GaLe) Is there anything specific you want in this? Such as: NaLu, NaLi, ElfEver, MiFri, MiraLax (LOVE that name), Jerza, Gruvia, Laxana, BaCana, ect, ect. (I know that I already kind of set it up as NaLu, but if a majority of my readers want NaLi or something else, I'll definitely consider it, so speak up!)**  
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**You guys have NO idea how often I beat myself up over this chapter. GAH! How awkward! Thankfully, the next one is better and should be up in a day or two!  
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	3. College Life Paid Off!

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_"A good painter is to paint two main things, men and the working of man's mind."  
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The very second Gajeel Redfox managed to actually haul ass back to his apartment, he felt like his head was spinning. Lily had scratched up his arm, making feathery, thin red marks on his skin, adding to his collection of scars. His shirt was ripped in one place from having the cat dig his claws in. The very moment, yes, MOMENT he closed the door, shutting off half the noise, the cat jumped down from his comfortable nest in his arm and padded off to the kitchen to get some food, as if nothing had happened, leaving small puddles on his hardwood floor.

Grumbling, the tall man lumbered over to his fridge, ignoring the look his cat was giving him, obviously begging for treats. He reached in and pulled out a beer, quickly snapping the cap off and tossing it into a small bin on the side. He knew he was wet and making a mess, but he needed some alcohol in his system. Besides, the antiseptic he'd have to put on the scratches burned like a bitch and it was always nice to have some kind of comfort for that sort of thing.

Sighing, Gajeel looking into the bin, full of nothing but bottle caps. It wasn't a container for rubbish. In the tavern where he worked, in front of every seat was a something similar and every beer someone had would be recorded by the bottlecaps in the thing. It was how Gajeel could tell when to refuse a customer and it had paid off for him tremendously.

It saved a few people's lives, after all. Why they wanted to get piss drunk and get alcohol poisoning off of BEER of all things, he'd never know, but as long as his ass didn't get thrown in jail for negligence of his stupid alcoholic consumers, he was okay. Besides, he really had to cut back on the damn stuff. He was getting really close to his boss's level and over his dead body was he becoming any more of an alcoholic than he already was.

Cana may not look like much, but the damn woman could put away more than he could. Usually though, she ended up drunk off her ass, and Baccus, one of her close friends and her favorite drinking buddy had to drag her home. From there, the poor bartender would be in charge of the entire place. Hell, HE might as well own the place. It's not like he even listened to her that much, and she was usually laughing off in her office, having him leave his post at the bar so he could deliver her bottles when there was no one requesting drinks.

Though, he certainly never complained. After all, he practically WAS the boss and he did get a boost in his paycheck because he did so. It was a pretty sweet deal, actually. Come in around 7 pm (except on Saturdays, his day off), wear a clean shirt and mix up cocktails. He got to sneak a few drinks of his own because he kept Cana's drinking habit from crumbling her business, and the woman could afford it because her father was THE Gildarts Clive, CEO of the most popular repairs company this side of the country. Besides, the pay wasn't half bad and the people who came in seemed to tip particularly well. He met a few familiar faces and even got to chat with some old friends when they came in. A few weeks ago, he had even met up with Juvia, on break from her gloomy coloring. She was gushing about some ice sculptor, both hands on her cheeks, but she was still relatively good company.

Anyway, Gajeel was making a good enough living. Enough to take care of his moron of a cousin and two cats, plus himself.

Fuck, he never thought he'd have to play babysitter with Natsu of all people. The damn guy doesn't understand that sometimes, danger does not equal happiness. He got laid off from his most recent job after the damn pyromaniac set fire to every last firework in the shop. Gajeel knew that Natsu had attention problems and he was always looking for the next "kick" but, really? Hell, if Gajeel wasn't on his feet with solid ground under him, he would have slammed the door right into his face. But, he did owe the dumbass for what his dad did and he actually let the pink haired monster into his house.

Yeah, stupidity ran in the family. Sighing, Gajeel just shut the refrigerator door closed with his foot and looked down at his cat.

"You got me in a shitload of crap today, Lily." He said, scowling slightly as he got the bag of treats and dumped some into the bowl. All the black cat did was give him a grateful look and, at the sound of food, Happy padded out of the bathroom and ran to the damn thing, eating his share. Quickly, Gajeel put the bag down and took a big gulp from his drink. He walked to his living room and collapsed on the couch, turning the TV on to a random, mindless channel so he could polish it off and then clean himself up.

It wasn't punishment for Natsu, no-sir-ee. After all, even though the guy slept on the couch and Gajeel was leaving a solid puddle on the damn thing, it wasn't as if he enjoyed it.

Okay, so maybe he did. He chuckled and looked back into the kitchen at the small kittens.

That cat really DID get him in a bit of trouble but he loved him too damn much to actually do anything about it. Still, the chick was cute and he did get off without even a warning. Plus, it was nice to see a girl who could actually spark something in him. She was a spitfire, she was. He smirked, taking another big drink from the bottle.

But that was all. She was pretty and spunky, and that was that. Natsu's dumbass smirk at him meant nothing. It was SHIT and he would have nothing to do with his mischievous grin. He rolled his eyes and continued thinking. Nope, she wasn't all that interesting.

...well, maybe she was. But just a LITTLE bit!

He really didn't want to admit it, but it felt nice to actually have an argument with a woman who could hold her own. She wasn't much on the looks department (he firmly put his foot down on THAT one) though and she certainly wasn't his type, but she did have plenty to offer. Smirking, he remembered the flustered look on her face when her friend had jerked her out of her gawking.

Gajeel knew he was a good looking guy. He had always known. Even if he had a habit of getting involved with the wrong kind of crowd and no woman went to him to DATE, he was still plenty popular. It wasn't like he didn't like women. No, he LOVED them, curves and smiles and all. He just didn't like the bland personalities that followed. Gajeel didn't DO dating and he definitely wasn't looking for love, especially with the airheaded bimbettes that seemed to flock to him. She sure didn't look like any of _them_.

And then his face fell and he shook his head.

Hell, she was a spitfire, and he couldn't help but be impressed that a shrimp like her had stood up to him, even if he could have been, for all her knowledge, a murderer. She had spunk and it wasn't as if she was unattractive but he knew he shouldn't be thinking about her. She was a far cry from the busty women who often frequented his bar, (and it IS his, Cana be damned) swinging their hips and batting their eyes at him. Before Natsu crashed at his apartment, he'd usually bring them there and kick them out not long after. None of them were interesting in the slightest and all of them just accepted it, slinking off to do their walk of shame.

But still: an apology. Damn, the chick had guts. And, honestly, guts were glory. Confidence was sexy, intelligence was deadly and it certainly seemed like she had both. Sighing, Gajeel took the last gulp of his beer, feeling the liquid settle in his body before he got up, walking to the bathroom and opening the first aid kit.

But in the back of his mind, he was glad that the last thing he remembered of her was the stare of her big, brown eyes into his.

* * *

When Natsu got back to Gajeel's apartment he wanted to throw a fit about the couch.

He didn't. Natsu of all people knew that Gajeel's patience was not infinite. In fact, there wasn't even enough to fit a thimble, so he knew not to push it. After all, he had accepted him when he showed up on his doorstep and actually let him stay until he got back on his feet. Gajeel said it was no big deal, but Natsu knew that he had taken money out of his tattoo plans so that they could afford to stay in the place.

He sighed. Deep down, he knew that Gajeel was a good guy, but he knew that even his soft spot for his tiny family, namely, he and Wendy, wouldn't extend out to letting them stay at his house. It was only because, as a child, Igneel had taken in Gajeel when Metalicanna had left him, and even before then, would take care of him when his father would hit him and throw him out of their house.

Gajeel was a tough guy. He never showed much interest in anything and he was closed off and gruff. And heck, the guy was still family and he seemed...lonely. Natsu wanted the best for him, especially since he considered him his friend. That's why he had to grin when he saw him looking at Lucy's friend. She was everything that he would never notice. Tiny, sweet looking and not a hooker. A good influence, a twinkle in a damp situation.

Though Natsu will give Gajeel slight praise, that didn't mean that he approved of his habits. Gajeel needed some kind of stability in his life and a cat just wasn't going to cut it. He was overjoyed that he had seen Lucy again and he knew that Gajeel had been caught in a very awkward situation. Still, the observations that Natsu made (well, the ones he could understand) was that Gajeel was slightly interested in her friend.

And that was enough for him. He had decided to give the guy a few days before he assumed that he'd start to prod at him for information but Gajeel never did. In fact, he went on with his life as he usually did. Not a single question about the small woman who had stolen his attention.

At about the two week mark, Natsu had decided to take things into his own hands. So he grabbed a beer, let Happy rub at his ankle and went to join his cousin on the old couch he had. Gajeel didn't even grunt when he sat down and only continued to watch the channel. Natsu only focused half his attention on the chainsaw massacre before he turned to Gajeel.

"So, me and Lucy are gonna meet up again in a couple days."

He grunted at that, taking a single gulp from his own drink. Natsu frowned.

"You can come too, you know. Get out of this house?"

"I don't want to and if I don't fucking have to, I won't." He said, cracking his neck off to the side.

"Come on, Gajeel, you need to see the world."

"I see plenty of it and honestly, it's got a shitty mug."

Natsu sighed. "You're missing out, man."

He rolled his eyes. "Trust me, you and your little girlfriend will have much more fun if I wasn't in the picture."

"Not if we bring along your little girlfriend."

Gajeel's face settled into a frown. "Girlfriend?"

"Yeah, the chick you were flirting with back at Lucy's studio."

He scoffed. "Blue? Fuck, man, I don't even remember her name."

Natsu's eyebrows shot up. "But…you want to know?" he asked, almost grinning slyly when the older man's eyes widened by a tiny fraction.

"Why the fuck would I care?"

"I dunno. You tell me. You were the one flirting."

"I wasn't flirting, goddamnit."

"What would you call it?"

"Nothing. I have no interest in her."

Silence settled and Natsu only looked at the screen, setting his attention onto the slasher film, not even flinching as the bloody mess of entrails littered the screen. When it settled down, all Natsu said was "Her name is Levy, if you were wondering."

And even if the pierced up man didn't flinch, blush or look amused when he said it, he also didn't fight against it, didn't lash out or answer back with a biting remark. It was hard to tell if he had remembered it or was just mulling it over, but regardless of the answer, Natsu accomplished his goal.

It wasn't much, but it was enough for him.

* * *

Three weeks.

It had been three weeks since Levy had last seen him. The second he had left, her mind had begun to whirl in what seemed to be overdrive. The curve of his lips, the gleam of his piercings, it was all so full of emotion. His face carried his life's story and damnit, she just wanted to make it real.

Frustrated, she ripped down the most recent image she had drawn of him and huffed.

Why was she so obsessed with this anyway? Was it that he was attractive? No, it couldn't be. She had met plenty of ridiculously attractive men in her life. Images upon images settled in her mind of men she'd painted, sketched, drawn, from Hibiki Lates to Fried Justine. There was many a man she had painted, models and normal people alike. After all, Fried was a secretary whose friend, Evergreen, wanted to be included in her own personal painting commission. He wasn't a model but he was attractive enough.

It couldn't be his looks. It wasn't. Why is it that the most unique looking man she'd ever met had been the one to make her just want to draw?

Huffing, she completely ignored Lucy's pointed stare as she tied up her blue hair, yet again, and slid her headband in place so her bangs didn't get in her face. Quickly, she got out another sheet, a pencil held between her teeth.

She will get this right.

'It would be so much easier to draw him if he was in front of me...not just in my mind.' She thought, feeling her entire body slump. Lord knows that she had tried to draw different things. Flowers, sunrises, rocks and the moon. She tried drawing Lucy's most recent creation, a suit inspired by Taurus, only to see it fall flat. She tried drawing the curtains, her chairs in her apartment, the dewdrops on a field of grass and it didn't come to life, nor did it even interest her.

After ten days of her denial, she slowly accepted that whatever this stupid block was, it would only be unclogged by drawing the man.

So she did. And she grew frustrated at it. And so she drew him again and grew frustrated and she kept trying. Slowly but surely, she noticed how certain aspects of him she would have to guess. The day after he left, she could have drawn you a picture worthy of being a photograph, she had memorized his features that perfectly.

And now, she knew it didn't look like him. Quietly, she set her pencil down onto the paper and watched the short strokes create a visage.

Only, it wasn't his. Levy finally felt the bubbling in her gut boil and threw down her pencil, hearing the crack as it broke at her feet.

"I can't do it. It's hopeless!" She said, ripping the paper down and reveling in the tearing sound echoing in the studio. All Lucy did was blink at her, turning to get a better look. Levy knew she must have looked crazy in her oversized T-shirt and her messed up hair, throwing down writing utensils. Sighing, she just ran a hand through her locks, undoing the hair tie so that it fell in messy curls down her back.

"Lucy…I'm sorry, I'm just gonna try again tomorrow, okay? Lock up for me, please."

Lucy only looked at her in slight concern, nodding gently when the blue haired girl walked out.

Three weeks. It had been just three weeks and already she wanted to see him again. She was wondering what the hell was wrong with her as she made her way through the city. It was dusk and she knew that she still had a good 20 minutes to walk until she got to her tiny flat. She was just so wound up. Painting was always an escape but the only thing she wanted to paint was him and he was what she wanted to escape from!

Shaking her head, she kept walking. No one really paid much attention to her. After all, she wasn't buxom and curvy like Lucy, and being dressed in a loose shirt and sweatpants didn't exactly scream sexy. Still, her self confidence was low because she felt talentless and she just wanted to relax.

She really, really wanted a drink. After all, just one wouldn't hurt. A simple one, nothing fancy. No hard liquor or ridiculously expensive concoction. She just wanted something so that she could focus on more than just him. Plus, she knew there was a bar around where she lived, nestled in some small, seedy part of the neighborhood. Besides, she knew Cana. They went to high school together and kept in touch through college. The woman had started up the place with a good chunk of her father's money after she graduated business school, telling them all that they could visit whenever.

Yeah, just one drink couldn't possibly hurt. Even if she was dressed horribly and looked like crap, it wasn't as if she had anyone or anything to impress. So, collecting her resolve and her confidence, she found the place and strode through the doors, heading straight for the front. No one really turned to her and she was pleased to see that she wasn't the only woman in the place who looked pretty bad. The entire place was relatively small, with circular tables and stools around them. People were chatting, though some just looked into their cups, grimacing as pretty girls in white blouses and black skirts delivered more drinks.

No, it certainly wasn't a club. Though, she heard some rambunctious laughter, male and female, coming from a closed off door to the left of the bar. Levy just shrugged, quickly hopping onto a barstool. She was the only one there and she wondered where the bartender was. Maybe he wasn't in today? Levy sighed. All she wanted was a drink, probably a martini or something.

Levy wasn't knowledgeable in alcohol. Sure, being friends with Cana and having impromptu drinking contests helped her, but still. It wasn't as if she ever went to a bar alone, anyway. Lucy usually went so they could visit Cana, and the two of them always, ALWAYS went on Saturdays and she just had whatever Lucy had, her attention focused completely on anything in the place she could draw inspiration from. Cana would serve them and they'd talk, her being in a grumpy mood because she wasn't allowed to drink on the job when she was tending the bar, muttering about her lazy bartender.

Levy sighed. She didn't even know the name of what Lucy usually ordered. She looked down the smooth wood of the counter, taking in the small ceramic cups in front of every seat, and saw a shiny piece of paper taped down toward the center. She hopped a few barstools and looked down, feeling a smile tug on her lips. Though, it quickly dropped when she saw just how many things were on the menu, and her brows met in confusion.

"Jeez. I didn't even know there were so many drinks people could make." She said, tilting her head as she continued studying the paper. "Butterscotch cookies, who could actually remember how to make all of those?" she asked softly.

"Well, it's kind of part of the job." An amused voice called out to her. Quickly, Levy felt her head move up as she looked into the same red eyes she had been hoping to avoid. Her mouth was open and her eyes were blinking at him. He smirked at her, the sharp canine sticking out as it did before. "And…do you always greet someone with baked goods?"

She felt the blush settle on her face and she huffed, crossing her arms over her T-shirt.

'Great. Good going Levy. Not only do you come here to forget him and meet him instead, but you also look like crap while doing so!' He was practically grinning at her, amused without doubt. His black shirt was rolled up at the cuffs and a few buttons were undone near the top, revealing a chain of some kind of thread, a single fang hanging down in the center, pointing to a dip where his collarbones met.

She took a deep breath. "I didn't know you worked here."

"Gotta make a fucking living somehow, hm?" She felt her mouth grimace.

"Must you always curse?"

"Yep. Part of my charm. I like to call it "sweeping you off your fucking feet and throwing you in a dumpster."" He said, leaning back against the wood of the counter as he polished a glass. He felt his hair, tied back with a single black hair tie, sweeping over the gleaming wood, his red bandana keeping his unruly locks out of his face and, most importantly, out of the drinks. He was a bit surprised when he saw her at the counter, her face down and examining the makeshift menu Juvia insisted he put there, looking like she just rolled out of bed. For a second, he actually wanted to go right back into Cana's office and tell her he was taking the night off. He didn't need to see any more of her, especially with his cousin prodding him. But she was there, and it couldn't be a coincidence, could it? Besides, he still had to lock up, and hell if Gajeel ran off because of some petite lady.

And, hell, it seemed like she had a few funny quirks he could make fun of, anyway.

"Absolutely charming." She replied, feeling the sarcasm glide on her tongue.

He smirked wider. Ah, that attitude was still as attractive as ever. "I know. So whadda ya want?"

She paused. "…erm…"

He cocked a studded brow at her. "I've heard some shitty names for drinks before, but none that were "erm". Be specific."

"I…don't know." she said, twiddling with her fingers. He saw her bite her lip.

"Damn, half-pint, don't you drink?"

"Well...not often...but, sometimes."

"Then what the hell do ya want?" he asked, not sounding angry but rather interested.

She paused again. "Um…well…what do you…suggest?" she asked sheepishly, looking up at him.

He let out a chuckle and she felt her knees come together when she heard the deep rumbling, resembling a purr deep in his throat more than a laugh.

"Girly, what I'd suggest would knock you flat on your ass."

"What?" she asked, looking at him.

"Just what I said. You can't take the shit I recommend."

She knew it was a bad idea. Oh, she knew. She knew that she shouldn't try to provoke him, and heck, why would she want to drink that badly anyway? A part of her wanted to ask him what he'd suggest for HER specifically, but she knew he was challenging her.

And Levy McGarden had once eaten a live fish for a dare. She didn't back down. And, oh man, how did he always manage to rile her up?

"Wanna bet?" She asked and reveled in the fact that he looked taken aback for a moment.

"Shrimp, I don't take advantage of bets I KNOW I'll win."

"So you don't?" she asked, her mouth twisting in a sardonic pout.

He hesitated for only a moment. "What's on the line?"

"Well, what can you offer?" she asked.

He took a second to think about it before he answered her. "If you win, I'll pay for any drink you want from here for a month." He said. After all, he worked there. It wasn't as if Cana would notice that he'd nick a couple glasses, especially with how often SHE drank.

She looked hesitant. Sure, it was a nice deal, but she had her mind on other things. She wouldn't need to drink if she could actually paint. "I…don't really drink all the time…"

"Really now?" he asked.

"Really…" She said, and the cogs in her mind began to work.

'Well…it can't just be coincidence that I met him just as I was forgetting his face…'

"How about this, then. If you win, I'LL pay for any drinks you want for a week." She saw how his face was already twisting into a grin, and before she stopped herself, she surged on with her slight confidence.

"If I win…if I win, you model for me. Whenever I ask."

His eyebrows went all the way up. "Model? Fuck, shrimp, do I look like a goddamn pretty boy to you?"

"Take it or leave it." She said. At the prospect of free alcohol and having a fridge stocked with vodka instead of beer, he weighed his choices. She looked like she was only about 5 feet. Plus, she'd probably never had a shot of whiskey in her life. She'd be on her ass in a second. Spunk, confidence, doesn't matter. She was tiny and he'd seen people go down for less.

"Deal." He said, reaching down under the counter where the bottles were stacked. He got out two glasses and filled them with amber liquid, sliding them over in front of her. On the inside, Levy did a quick dance of victory. Whiskey, huh? She thanked the stars that she had met Cana and had actually been dumb enough to get into contests with her back when the brown haired woman was the only one who was old enough to buy liquor.

"Oh, you poor man." She said, gulping down the first with no problems.

**Thank god for building up tolerance.**

She saw his shocked expression and his eyes widening farther when he saw that she didn't choke or cough. She felt herself grinning.

"Don't worry, you'll make a perfect model." She said, giddy at his bemused expression. She took only a second to pick up the second. glass, lifting it up in a "cheers" motion. "You forget, I'm a college graduate."

And she drank it down, not even flinching.

* * *

**I promised an earlier update, and I hope I delivered! Haha, Gildarts being the CEO of a REPAIRS company was just too good of an idea to pass up! Also, I don't know about you guys (maybe I'm just boy crazy...) but I'VE actually been in a position where I met a stranger and just couldn't get him off my mind. I play the violin and I was at an audition and this boy just came up behind me as a joke and started playing my piece and accidentally knocked over my stand onto my violin, wacking it out of tune. We got in an arguement (especially because I was only about 5 minutes away from having to go in and was nervous) and when it was over, we ended up introducing ourselves and appologizing. So, I'm basing some of these feelings off of that. (Except, he and I weren't NEARLY as attractive as Levy and Gajeel, and we were musicians, not artists. We also had no reason to meet up again.)  
**

**As for voting results, they are as followed! NaLu won out(12) against LoLu(3), NaLi(3) and LaLu (1). MiraLax won(4) against MiFri (3), BixLi(2) won against LiFri(1) and LaLi(1). Jerza, Gruvia, and Elfever stood under their own umbrella, no one fought against it. I hope no one is upset, and I REALLY hope no one drops this story because of this! I'll try to keep every other pairing (Except NaLu) very slight, with just mentions or snippets of scenes as opposed to chunks of text. GaLe will, obviously, be top dog in this, with NaLu trailing in second.  
**

_On another note: **HOLY BANANAS!** This story has already reached 30+ reviews! It's only the second chapter! To the following people: HeirToTheShadows, GaLeLover, FairyTailxoLove, Tazski, Lu, Alise, Hadeni-chan, darkchocol8807, StarInTheDream, the-raven-hired-wolf, Guest, Shiro-Kistune8, Jen, Levina, piranha .pk, Killer Moon Lover, WaterPanda, Guest, and Black Firelight, I have only this to say._

**LET ME LOVE YOU! LET ME LOVE ALL OF YOU! LOVING YOU ALL IS MANLY!  
**

_Also, do any of you guys have guesses for the jobs that the people in this story will have? (such as Gildarts being a part of a repairs company HA!) :P If so, go ahead and guess! (PS: To the people I told a few to, don't give it away!)  
_


	4. This Is NOT Denial

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_"A picture is the expression of an impression. If the beautiful were not in us, how would we ever recognize it?"  
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Gajeel took back what he said about women. No, really. For once in his life, he will actually admit that he was wrong. And the cause was the tiny woman in front of him, a sketchbook placed in front of her, her fingers almost white with how hard she was holding the pencil. She looked up at him in intervals of about 5 seconds, as if he would fade away.

"Gajeel! Stop moving! How in the world am I supposed to sketch you if you move?"

He preferred the bland personality.

"Oi! The bet made me your model. It didn't make me your goddamned lap dog!"

"Hush!" She said, twisting her mouth up to one side, giving him a glare. Gajeel, likewise, responded in kind and bared his teeth at her like he was some kind of wolf. She rolled her brown eyes and only shook her head, as if his actions didn't bother her in the slightest.

"UGH!" Gajeel grunt out, flopping down on the chair, his limbs akimbo.

"HEY! Get back to how you were!"

"NO!"

"Gajeel."

He glared. No way, he was not going to respond to her feeble commands, nor her warning tone of his name. He cursed the day whiskey was invented, cursed the day Cana was born.

Heck, he cursed the day Cana found alcohol. When he had seen Levy drink down the whiskey, not a single problem evident on her face, he was speechless. She was, on the other hand, completely giddy, grinning at him like some maniac. When she mentioned his boss (and, yes, he uses that term VERY loosely), Gajeel felt his eye twitch.

He should have known. Oh, he should have known. Natsu talked about Lucy the second he had come home from the dripping, telling him all about her, her middle name, her pet hamster, that she went to some prestigious school, blithering on about how he went too and the tuition was just too high for him, especially with his pranks adding to his debts. He had heard of the place, Juvia went to it as well for her moody watercolors. Supposedly, it was the best of the best and it was a rumor that if you went to the school and graduated, you'd be famous.

He called it a load of bull, but apparently, the people who graduated from the university DID end up successful. After all, the top two lawyers in the country, Erza Scarlet and Mirajane Strauss ended up graduating from the law division of the school, and even Cana had graduated from the Business portion. Lucy Heartfilia, Natsu's blonde friend, was being praised in the newspapers as one of the most promising designers of the decade with her Celestial collection. And when he learned about Levy, he remembered how he had heard her name while he passed by one of the larger museums in the city on his way to work.

Of course the little blue girl was friends with Cana. Of course.

After she left, the address of her studio neatly written on a napkin so he wouldn't forget, he promptly began to hit his head against the wall repeatedly. When Bacchus made to drag Cana out of her personal room in the bar, Gajeel stopped him, telling him that he'd take care of it. Bacchus, drunk enough to stop caring, just shrugged, twirling a bra by the strap around his index finger. For a second, Gajeel didn't know if it was sadder that Bacchus would willingly go out into public like that or that it was something the bartender had actually come to expect, due to the frequency of its' occurrence.

He didn't really care.

Cana ended up waking up on the roof to her cell phone blaring "Hit Me Baby One More Time" at 5 am in the morning, 6 hours earlier than she normally awakened from her hibernation. Gajeel decided that it was adequate punishment and secretly thanked the gods that Bacchus didn't even remember leaving the brunette.

That didn't mean that he still wasn't frustrated with the entire situation. Today was the fourth day that he was modeling for the pipsqueak. It wasn't as _girly _as he thought it would be, but it was ANNOYING. She would tell him to sit down on the floor or a chair, lean against a desk or the wall and then tutt about how he wasn't inspiring her. She'd tell him to slouch and then to stand up straight, to cross his arms and then let them hang off at the sides. Sure, she tried to make it easier on him by complying with some of his demands, including the nicknames. For two whole days, she argued with him that her name was LEVY and not shrimp, pipsqueak, short-stack, blue, tiny or half-pint.

He ignored her and then she just gave up.

Levy threw her hands up, ripping the sheet out of the book. "Great, now I have to start all over."

He grinned at her. After all, he agreed to be her model, but that didn't mean that he actually had to behave. She only shook her head, huffing with her arms crossed.

"Gajeel, please?"

"I don't see why you want to draw ME, anyway, short-stack."

She just ran a hand through her hair, seeming to twiddle with the ends. "You're just a unique looking person."

"Translation: You're a sexy motherfucker. I know. But, seriously? Can't you just take a picture?" he asked, raising a studded brow while he looked at her pointedly. Her eyes narrowed as her mouth bunching together, making her look very much like a lemming.

"No. I'm a painter! An artist of the traditional medium! I'm not a photographer!"

"…You can't just fucking paint me from a picture?"

"It doesn't work that way." She chided, looking at him with her analytical gaze. "To capture something in film is special. I'm not a photographer, so I couldn't do it properly. It's like telling a guitarist to sing."

"Most can anyway! Just take a damn camera and click it!"

"Tsk! That's not ART, Gajeel. That's something teenagers do when they want to go on social networks."

"So I have to sit in one place for five fucking hours?"

"Not five."

"It's been three already."

"That's because every time I get somewhere, you move! If you could stay still for thirty minutes, an hour, that's that! Then you could stretch. I told you this before!"

"I fidget."

"I noticed." She answered, dryly. If Gajeel was honest with himself, he'd have laughed. But Gajeel was completely unhappy with the entire thing. It was Saturday, his day off, and he was spending it in a SHACK of all places, while his idiot cousin was off with the blonde for what seemed to be the millionth time since he met her. Instead of getting food, restocking beer, enjoying the peace that occured ONLY when pinky was gone, thinking up tattoos, watching movies, sleeping in, or doing something he WANTED to do, he was stuck in an ugly and messy room with a half-pint lecturing him.

So he refused to laugh.

"How much longer do I have to be here?" He asked.

"Until I get a rough sketch." Sighing, Levy smoothed down the paper in front of her and grabbed a new pencil, looking determined. "It's almost been a week and I haven't got ANYTHING to work with! I need to at least get SOMETHING down."

Gajeel shook his head. "Fine, but I'm gonna have a smoke." ANYTHING to get out of her gaze for at least a few minutes.

"…smoke?"

"Yeah. Cigarettes. You know, the things that little girls like you shy away from like the plague?"

She scowled. "I am not little, nor a girl! I am a woman. I'm 25."

"You're little."

"I'm PETITE."

He looked at her, amused. "Just another damn word for LITTLE."

"No, little implies SMALL. As in: miniscule, microscopic, weak. I am PETITE. As in: feminine, slender, slim."

"It's the same….you know what? Fuck it, I'm not gonna bother."

"Good!" She said, her smile suddenly turning on like a 1000 watt light bulb. She picked up her sketch pad and looked at him expectantly.

"…..What?" He asked.

"I thought you were gonna take a smoke break?"

"I am. The hell are you looking at me like that for?"

"I'm gonna try to draw you!"

Gajeel wanted to plant his palm straight to his forehead. She was a far cry from good company when she was sketching. While he thought he could keep himself entertained while being observed (he downright REFUSED to say he was...posing) by teasing her, she was a quiet type. It would be deathly silent while she worked, the air quickly becoming stale. He usually came around 4 pm and left at 6, unable to stand being around her for much longer and afterward, went to his apartment, changed and went to work. He almost grimaced when he realized that it was almost becoming a habit.

But he had been there longer today than usual, probably because she assumed that he didn't have work on that day, as she mentioned that she went to the bar before.

He sighed. "Look, shrimp, I've been here for three hours already. I'm gonna call it a damn day."

She pouted. "But I haven't got a SINGLE thing to work with!"

"I have shit to do!"

She seemed to deflate with a sigh. "…okay."

Gajeel bit the inside of his cheek. Damn it all to hell if she didn't look so fucking sad. She looked like the world was crashing down.

He looked away. "I'll be around later."

"…later?"

Her voice was small, hesitant...hopeful. "Look, I work from 7 till 2 am, every day except Saturday. Seriously, I have shit to do." He clarified, realizing that she had gone off of nothing more than assumption. She looked even sadder, as if she'd never get her damn project done. Gajeel rolled his eyes and got up from the chair she had him sit in. The stretch in his muscles was well needed and he strode up to her, picking up a discarded sketch she had thrown to the ground about two hours prior.

He ripped off a piece, trying to avoid the strokes that made up the failed image and grabbed one of the many pencils she had. Quickly, he scribbled out his name and a series of numbers. "I'm not gonna come over here every damn day just to see you waste time. Call me over when you'll actually DO something worth my time. And don't fucking bother even TRYING anytime before 3 pm. I'm usually asleep." He said as he handed her the scrap, almost cringing when she took it gingerly. She looked up at him, her brown eyes curious. He just grunted, resisting the urge to rub the back of his neck.

"We made a deal. Anytime you wanted. Just don't call me for your personal shit."

She nodded, still looking at him with that damn soft expression. He just turned away stuffing his hands into the pockets of his black pants, grumbling, his fingers skimming over the pack of Camel cigarettes and his lighter in his left pocket as he walked out.

She watched his back as he stepped into the open world before she looked down at the paper.

"Just call you…" She said, her light voice bouncing off the walls of the empty room, a small smile curving her lips.

"Yeah…I will."

* * *

Lucy was grinning. Her pink lips stretched tight over her pearly teeth, a glint in her eyes. Her visage was sparking a happier mood all over the small café, her legs crossed and gently bobbing to the sound of the music. She took a sip of her tea, looking at Natsu over her raspberry tart, his excited voice permeating the loud beat.

Lucy giggled. It was nice to be around Natsu again. Despite the fact that it wasn't their first outing (more like their 15th that month), she was still overjoyed to see him. After all, she had cried for days when he told her that he was dropping out of art school. In fact, she had even pleaded with him, offered him money, questioned him. Still, Natsu had told her that he had to go on to do what he needed, that working on fireworks, designing their patterns, was just not going to get him anywhere.

She felt her smile slowly deflate as she remembered taking a week from school just to stay in her room, sleeping, crying and writing. She had seen him off when he left, backpack and rollaway case in tow. The small kitten that she helped take care of was looking at her as Natsu walked. Pets were actually allowed in the dormitories at the university, and Lucy herself had a hamster called Plue. Still, she had never been sadder to see the small calico cat get wheeled away, turning back and meowing at her as Natsu's silhouette got smaller as he got onto the metro.

She set her cup back down on its saucer and looked at him.

"Say, Natsu?"

"Hmmm?" he asked, biting down on his sandwich shamelessly.

"I…how was everything when you went away?"

Natsu chewed and swallowed down the morsel, carelessly setting it down onto the wrapper it came with. "What do you mean?"

"I mean…school, life, jobs. What went on with you when you moved?" She leaned forward, gently pushing her plate to the side so she could rest her elbows on the cheerful red tablecloth.

"Well, I went to a different school. It was nice there, I met a few people. Finally got to see one of my old friends."

"You moved here when you were 14 to start high school, right?"

He nodded. "Yeah. She still recognized me, even with the pink hair! Man, Lisanna had screamed when I showed up at her doorstep."

"Her doorstep?"

Natsu sheepishly rubbed at the back of his head. "I…didn't really have anywhere to go." He said, grinning at her awkwardly. "After my dad died, the only family I had left was Gajeel and my other cousin, Wendy. She was only about 15 when I dropped out, and Gajeel was…in his own mess, so she was the only person I could go to."

Lucy nodded, remembering Natsu talking about his dad before. "I'm sorry." She said softly.

"Nah, don't be." He told her, smiling. "Dad was an awesome guy and I know he loved me…told me that I better not go weepy when he was gone...wanted me to celebrate the time I had with him instead of crying about the time I lost."

Lucy felt her cheeks ache from how wide her grin was. She could only nod, reaching her hand across the table to lay on his. "That's…wonderful. You've really grown up, haven't you? I still remember you pulling pranks, painting the math room orange our senior year!"

He laughed. "Yeah, good times. I guess...when I went back, I kind of toughened up. My scholarship only covered so much, and I didn't have any money. I saw her struggling a lot to keep both of us in the apartment. She had to ask her older sister and brother for money at one point. Thankfully, they had plenty, especially with her older sister becoming a lawyer and her older brother marrying Evergreen, the chick who runs a branch of the Electric Tribe Company. Still, she still didn't like to ask."

"But she did for you? She cared a lot about you?"

"Still does. Lisanna was my friend since I was 4. Dad didn't talk to many people, other than my aunt and uncle, so she was one of the few people I knew before I went to school. She was always a year behind me." Natsu laughed. "I failed fourth grade for her because there was a boy who always pulled on her hair, and I told her I'd save her. "

Lucy giggled. "So, you've always been a good friend, hm?"

He looked at her sheepishly. "I guess you could say that…I just try to make the people around me know how much I appreciated them. As a kid, Lisanna and Gajeel were my only friends, you know?"

Lucy nodded. "Now you have a lot more."

"Yeah, but they're still really special to me." Natsu grinned. "Wendy is too, but she's definitely more in the protection phase than the close friend section. You know, I heard a few weeks ago that she was dating Romeo, a kid I used to read to when I was in sixth grade and he was in first. Man, I felt old!"

Lucy burst out into laughter, comfortably retracting her hands from his to take a bite of her tart. "You're not old! You're 26!"

"Yeah, and my bones creak." He said, jokingly sticking his arm out and hanging his elbow.

"Oh, you're just a big complainer!" She said, chuckling. Once they both calmed down, a few more bites in them, Lucy continued. "So you studied pyrotechnics?"

"Yep! It was hard, I couldn't get a job because no one was hiring, especially 'cause I didn't have any experience. Lisanna was in her third year of vet school before I came around and the only reason she had one was because she'd had experience as a waitress before."

Lucy clucked her tongue in sympathy. "Poor girl…"

"Yeah…now she's finally done and has her degree, plus she's dating some guy that Evergreen introduced her to, Bix...something." He shrugged, taking another giant bite. "I'm happy for her."

"Are YOU happy?"

"Course I am! You're here, how could I not be? I really missed you!"

Lucy blushed. "I meant with schooling! Where do you work?"

Natsu looked down. "I…erm, got laid off."

"Laid off?"

He nodded. "I kinda set fire to a bunch of the merchandise." He sighed. "All my certifications and they booted me out for that."

Lucy scowled. "Well, so much for growing up." She said, rolling her eyes when he laughed.

"Eh, it's the reason I moved back. I couldn't afford my apartment and I wasn't gonna mooch of Lisanna anymore, so I went to the only other person I could."

Lucy thought for a moment. "Gajeel?" he nodded. "You're…living with Gajeel?"

"Yeah, me and Happy."

"He doesn't seem like the type to take in someone, and especially not their pets." She said, sipping her tea.

"Heh, Gajeel doesn't look like the type to do much of anything."

"No…he doesn't." Lucy said, cautiously.

Natsu laughed. "Gajeel only took me in because my dad used to do favors for him. I'm trying to find work here so I can finally stop mooching, and when I save up enough, I'll get my own flat."

"…Favors? You never told me about your dad doing favors….in fact, you never talked about Gajeel at all, now that I think about it."

He shrugged. "Not really something that has to do with ME."

"What do you mean?"

"It's more between him and my dad."

"…is there something weird about him? Cause if there is, I need to tell Levy."

"No, not weird. Just…a little sad, I guess."

Her eyebrows furrowed. He didn't look like the type that got SAD. Angry, temperamental, flippant, yes, but not SAD. Lucy resisted the urge to scowl. She wasn't happy at all that Levy had actually gotten him to model for her. Still, when the girl bounced up to her to tell her the news, looking cheerful and happy, Lucy just couldn't find it in her to lecture the bluenette about why it would be a bad idea. Lucy looked at Natsu doubtfully.

"Look, he's not a bad guy. He's just got a past. His mom died when he was 5 cause of a car accident and his dad walked out on him when he was 11. He didn't expect it cause they actually had a decent relationship. So, my dad took him in."

"It's just….he doesn't look very friendly."

Natsu laughed. "He isn't! He doesn't really like people, it's why he grew his hair out and got all those piercings."

"Not just that…I mean, I've never heard of someone with red eyes."

Natsu shrugged. "Genetic mutation, or something like that. Lisanna actually explained it to me once but I couldn't pay attention." He smiled sheepishly.

Lucy bit her lip. "Is there…anything else about him?"

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"Anything that…COULD be dangerous?" It usually wasn't in her to be so judgemental, especially based off of someone's looks. When she transferred to Natsu's high school, she met a lot of strange people. Heck, her best friend dyed her hair blue! But Levy meant a lot to Lucy. They had been friends for 10 years and some would say that Lucy was overprotective of her companion, but Levy was important to her, almost like family. She'd go to any lengths to help her.

Natsu thought for a moment. "Honestly, I don't really know. He was 15 when I moved here to Makarov and he stayed back. Dad was dead then, which is why I moved, so he was in Phantom High. Kind of like a boarding school, mainly for orphans 'cause he didn't have anywhere else to go. Never told me anything else."

"Nothing?"

Natsu shrugged. "Nope. I guess his life was just boring from then on." He said, smiling at her and going back to his sandwich. "Trust me, you don't have anything to worry about!"

"Oh really?" she asked, smiling at Natsu's happy voice, her paranoia dying down. He gulped down his sandwich and grinned at her, all teeth and narrow eyes, crumbs on his lips.

"Really! He's a total teddy bear on the inside. Cuddle's with his cat when he's goin' to sleep!"

She couldn't help but laugh so hard that she knocked over her empty teacup.

* * *

Levy was staring at the paper. In sloppy, blocky letters, there was his name. "**GAJEEL**" She took a deep breath and looked down at the table. She was home, in her small apartment and it had been five days since she last saw him. It was exactly 3:27 pm if the clock hanging in her kitchenette was correct and she carefully smoothed out the wrinkles in the scrap, biting her lip.

The table was small, usually only used to eat or write at. Really, it was more of a desk than a table fit for dining, but she wasn't very picky. On the wood lay three things: his number, a sheet with a half-finished portrait and a cell phone. She KNEW she couldn't do anything with that image. She absolutely knew, and even if she had been happy when he told her to call him, the feeling settled down in her belly, becoming nerves.

What if he was angry? After all, she had used her "guilt trip" face back then. He had seemed really uncomfortable with giving her his number. What if he only did so because he wanted her to stop making that face? What if it wasn't even his number?

She bit her lip harder. That wouldn't be very good. In fact, that would be a disaster to the entire situation. Without a doubt, if he got frustrated at her or if it wasn't his number, he'd probably never come around and she didn't even know where he lived, so she certainly couldn't come to him. Sure, she could ask Lucy to talk to Natsu, but she seemed to be getting even closer to the guy and Levy wasn't the type to do the whole "He said, she said" thing.

She could always go by the bar he worked at, but that would seem ridiculously desperate, and she didn't want to stoop that low. Carefully, Levy gathered her courage. She really, REALLY wanted to get out of her stupid block. After she tried to sketch him, his image stayed in her mind and she had managed to add a few bits to the barrage of partially done images she had made. It wasn't much, hardly even a face, more like a fourth of one, but it was still there. She still drew it and it actually looked decent.

He was practically a stranger to her, though it was certainly hard to remain cold, distant people when you're drawing them. She knew she wouldn't have him in her life long, as he'd only stay until her block was done, or when his portrait was finished, and then they'd never see each other again. She, for two days, questioned herself as to why it was HIM who actually started to unclog her temporary handicap . All she had deduced, logically, was that it was just because she'd never met anyone who looked like him. If she was really honest with herself, she'd admit that it would be hard to suck the life out of anything with his face on it.

But she had her pride, darnit! He wasn't THAT attractive and she WAS happy that she could finally put a spark in her recent work. It wasn't all him! He was just easy to draw, exotic looking, interesting.

She felt her face heat up.

Damn being an artist! Levy huffed, crossing her arms and breathing in deep. It had been almost a month since she first met him and in all that time, she had the itch to paint him. She knew it was wrong to be so drawn to someone just based on how they looked, but a part of her couldn't help it. She drew the inner and outer beauty of all the things around her. Her passion was to immortalize the elegance and power of a person or object and, unfortunately, looks mattered a lot in that department.

Levy wasn't really a shallow girl. Not by any stretch of the imagination, actually. But when it came to her paintings, her sketches, her WORK, she valued beauty, she valued attractiveness. She valued people who were striking, who others stared at.

And if Levy had to describe Gajeel, she'd definitely say "Striking". Sighing, she picked up her phone, knowing that she'd never get anywhere unless she bucked up and got her nerves together. Maybe denying her was actually what she needed. Maybe then she could move on to drawing someone else, someone just as striking.

She ignored the fact that she'd never actually MET someone like him and only dialed the number, crossing her legs as she sat back on her chair. She waited only a second before she lifted the device to her ear, crossing her fingers as well.

Ring. Ring.

A pause. Levy held her breath, suddenly feeling the nerves tighten into a hard lump in her throat.

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"Hello?"

"Oh thank god!" she said, exhaling the breath she was holding and instantly regretting it. No, NO! That was not the reaction she was supposed to have.

"Shrimpette." He said, his voice completely amused as he looked at his cell phone, a smirk forming on his face.

She winced. Great.

He probably thought she was just a giant dork. "…Hi there."

"Better than baked goods." He said, resisting the urge to laugh. He hadn't expected her to take so long in calling him. He was actually beginning to think that she had given up on the entire idea after just a few days with him. The idea had wounded his pride, just a BIT and he had brooded (NOT SULKED!) for a little while, wondering if he had suddenly become less pleasing to the eye.

He was NOT relieved that she called him. Nope. Not in the slightest. He didn't miss her 1000 watt smile or strangely cute face when she was concentrating and especially not her attitude.

Not. In. The. Least.

And the tiniest bubble of relief in his gut was JUST because she interrupted the one sided conversation his cousin was trying to hold with him, gushing on and on about the blonde.

That was all. He was just glad that he had a reason to escape from the hell that was the chatterbox.

Really.

"Um…could you come over today? It's been a few days and…uh, I never got a full portrait." She said, her voice slightly fuzzy through the cell. He smirked.

"Hmm."

"…Hmmm?"

"I'm thinking."

"Oh…uh…okay…"

He let out his signature laugh, a chuckle of Gihihi and grinned. "Fine. I don't have shit to do today other than work."

"Oh! Okay, that's great!" He lifted a brow, his grin still in place. "Um, I mean…yeah, that's…uh, that's nice."

"Yeah."

"Yeah…"

He shook his head, trying to wipe the grin off of his face when he saw his pink haired nuisance looking at him slyly.

He had a bit of a hard time. "I'll be over in thirty minutes. You have a place to park, right?"

"Park? Uh…yeah, I do. Why?"

"I'm taking my bike."

"Bike? You ride a bike?" she asked, sounding amused.

"…a fucking motorcycle, shrimp. My bike."

"Oh...well…I just...had a stupid moment, didn't I?"

"I thought you were always like this?"

She whined. "That's not nice."

"Oi, girly, what makes you think I'm nice?" he asked.

"Well...you...you have a kitten?" she answered feebly.

He started to laugh. "Awww, shorty, that's fucking adorable." he listened to her sputtering. "Gihihi, I'll be over in thirty."

He hung up, feeling victorious.

Maybe he could actually have some fun with this thing after all. He stretched, shoving his phone in his pocket along with his keys and resisted the urge to punch Natsu's stupid ass smirk off his face.

"...Shorty?" He laughed. "She's your homie, huh?"

...well, Gajeel never DID have that much restraint.

* * *

**As always, major, MAJOR thanks to all my reviewers! FairyTailxoLove, HeirToTheShadows, Hadeni-chan, Tazski, GusTrue, WaterPanda, Aralys, Lightest'Ink, treehugger1234567890, Rosa Pendragon, Black Firelight, MissMungoe, Kaaryn, Happy-nerd, Guest, LMA, Thegodeater, Levina, Jaylea Nyx Felesian and ironandpen! Thank you ALL! (**_why yes, I WILL thank you ever chapter!_**) (and thank you, lurkers hiding in the shadows)**

**I'm sorry I can't PM all of you, but know that I appreciate the support! Next chapter is still in the works, so expect about 4-5 days of wait (I've been on a ROLL with updates recently). I'm usually horrible with updating things (for one of my fics, it took me...well, at least 2 weeks to get the motivation to write) but this is GaLe and...THEY HIT ME RIGHT IN THE FEELS! **

**See you all next chapter! (Which may or may not have excess amounts of GushingAboutGray!Juvia and IFuckingLoveYou!Lily)  
**

**EDIT: Since I have now calmed my fangirling soul, I will tell you all what I think of chapter 294. Firstly: Gajeel, you're a smexy beast and I was happy that you caved in Rouge's face with your fist, proving that you are made of win/boss material yet again. Secondly: Levy, go ahead and cheer for your man without a care in the world! He's YOURS. Seriously, the guy's wearing a headband as an obvious homage to you. Thirdly: He better get another headband because he looks twice as gorgeous with one on. And Fourthly: Natsu, you are awesome (as always) and Sting's laser is made of nothin' so beat him to the ground. **


	5. You're Such A Kid!

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_"There is no disguise which can hide love for long where it exists, or simulate it where it does not."  
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Gajeel huffed, blowing a piece of hair out of his eyes. It was ridiculous, ridiculous he says! He could wrestle a 200 pound man to the ground without a problem, could sit through a three hour tattooing session without a single flinch.

He didn't DO parks. He didn't belong in them. And he didn't like the fact that he had to sit in the dirt, probably ruining his jeans just so the little woman could draw him in a "new environment". It felt forced and silly, especially since the second he stepped into the damn place, the kids that were playing under the tree instantly ran away. He had watched, baffled, as they ran only about six feet away to hide behind one of the many trees in the place to observe him. Levy had giggled from behind her palms as Gajeel yelled at the children, informing them, rather rudely, that he was not a zoo attraction.

From there, she found a tree trunk to sit on and told him to plop down in front of her, right in the bright sunlight. Gajeel had been sitting in the dirt for around an hour and for the first 15 minutes, he kept himself entertained by throwing rocks at her sketchpad, and then whistling innocently when she glared. After the fourth pebble hit her on the head, she threw her hands up, calling him childish and watching as he laughed so hard that he ended up on his side. A sound lecture and a glare, (and maybe a small bribe of food...) had the man calm down and then he had completely zoned out. At her hum, he was brought out of his bored daydreaming and looked at her. She had the eraser of her pencil up at the corner of her lip and was looking at him skeptically. Sure, he was finally sitting still but his pose was completely uninspiring.

He huffed again. "For God's sake, woman! There's something wrong with you."

"Hush." She said, her gaze not faltering as she tried to pinpoint exactly what she could change.

"What? Do I have something on my face? Bloody hell…"

Suddenly, she stood up as she set her sketchbook down and walked over to him. Gajeel looked up at her, his red eyes narrowing in the sunlight as it beamed down on them. It glowed off of her hair, making the blue stand out even more vibrantly than usual. Her brown eyes gleamed and her skin downright shined under the rays.

But hell if Gajeel ever admitted that she was pretty.

And instead of paying any attention to the man's apathetic gaze, Levy instead grabbed him by his gray wife-beater, attempting to pull him up. He let out a laugh and stood, grinning at her as she pouted. Her hands instantly began to shove his back and his shoulders, adjusting his stance in some pose that he was sure was inspired by a stupid statue, because it just wasn't natural.

"You're heavy!" she said as she yanked his arm into position.

"I'm a MAN. A TALL man. I'm supposed to be heavy."

She just crossed her arms, looking over the pose that she put him in. "Not all men are as heavy as you."

He raised a brow. "Are you callin' me fucking fat, shrimp?"

"No! Just…just husky."

He burst out laughing, breaking out of the entire thing to slouch naturally. "Husky? Fucking husky? Damn, I haven't heard that shit for a while."

"What! It's an anatomical term!" she said, scowling at him.

"Like hell it is!" He said, still chuckling.

"It is!"

"Just like petite, huh?"

"Yes." She said, a dignified air to her voice. "Just like petite."

"Not little, hm?"

"No, not little."

"Well, shrimp, I don't know how to break this to you, but I'm not husky." She was about to retort until she saw his razor sharp grin. He stood to his full height, eyes still on her as he towered over her tiny frame, smug expression completely intact. "I'm BIG." He said, smirking.

Her face instantly warmed. Her head had been inclined backwards so she could maintain eye contact with him and she started to regret it as he smirked wider at her flush. "Y-you-"

"Yeeeees?" he asked, biting down on his tongue to keep from guffawing at her.

"I mean…I…um, we need to…" she swallowed, putting her hands on her hips. "We need to finish this portrait." She said, her voice far less unstable than previously.

But hey, Gajeel was bored out of his mind and he wanted to have some fun! He didn't want to plop back down in the dirt or stand like some greek statue. He hooded his eyes, just slightly and looked down at her with one eyebrow raised.

"Do we?" he asked, his voice dropping.

His ego sparked when he saw her eyes widen and her swallow visibly. "We do…it's…it's why we're here." She said, her eyes focused completely on his. Carefully, he hunched his body so he could look at her better, sneaking one arm over to her blind spot, up and to the side.

"Well…I don't see why we can't just…take a break?"

"Um…we…I suppose we…"

"Hmmm?"

"No! We have to finish this!" She said, looking torn.

He could have deflated. Well, there goes that plan. "How about this, girly…I'll make you a deal."

"…deal?"

"Yeah…I'll do _whatever _you tell me to…if-"

"If?" she breathed, eyes still trained on his.

"If…you can catch me!" he said, quickly snatching her headband off from her hair and running off, grabbing her sketchbook as he whizzed past the trunk she had been sitting on.

"Wha-…GAJEEL REDFOX!" She screeched as her body instantly went off after him, her dark green shorts falling down her hips slightly as she ran off as fast as she could. He was grinning like nobody's business as he jogged backward, his eyes trained on her. He dangled the cloth from his fingers before the small woman let out a war cry and sped up.

"SHIT!" he said, laughing as he quickly whirled around and began to run faster.

Levy was a comical sight, her curly blue locks trailing behind her with her arms outstretched in front of her body, her legs pounding against the ground while she continued zooming after him like hell was on her heels. He roared good naturedly as he evaded her hands. She had began to gain on him, her palms eager to grab onto his shirt, pants, belt, hair, or ANYTHING that would slow him down so she could get her possessions back.

In a rare display of abandon, the woman kicked off the ground and TACKLED the man, sending them both sprawling over the dirt, rolling down the slight hill they had ran up to come to a stop under a tree, breathing hard. She sat up, grabbing onto her things, letting out a triumphant "AHA!" as his chuckles died down. She floundered off of him to lay down on the ground beside him, tired and panting as he spread himself out under the cool shade of the tree they rolled under.

"For…for someone so heavy…you sure run fast." She said, looking at him from the corners of her eye.

"Gihihi, I played football when I was in high school." He said, shaking his head and laying it down on his palms, his red orbs focused on the little woman. "Not that you're so easy to evade either! Fuck, tiny, you got some speed on ya."

She grinned. "I ran track, still jog in the mornings when I feel like it."

He nodded, his lips quirked up and all awkwardness gone from the situation. They looked up at the leaves of the tree. It was still hot, the middle of august and still plenty steaming. Thankfully, the leaves blocked off some of the sharp rays of light, softening them and splaying shadows over them. Levy looked down at him, watching the patterns make shape over his body.

Noticing her gaze, Gajeel spoke up. "All that forced posing shit you have me do won't get you anywhere, you know."

"Huh?" she asked, peeling her eyes away from his torso to look at his face.

"It's not natural. Doesn't look good." He said simply, looking her over. Her face was still flushed from their run and her shirt was rolled up, just a bit, her chest rising and falling in effort to get more air into her lungs. Her shorts were hanging down on her hips and he spotted a sliver of pink lace peeking up from over her belt and he had to bite down on the inside of his cheek, quickly averting his eyes back to her face to prevent from smirking. Her chocolate colored eyes shined in concern as she bit down on her lower lip.

"But…I never had trouble with it before."

Carefully, Gajeel adjusted so his weight was on his elbows, able to look her in the face better.

"Ya never painted ME before. Calm the hell down, shrimpette. You can't force anything. Just relax, damn. Ever since I met ya, you've been a pile of nerves. Take life as it comes, will you?" he asked, thankful that he had the sense to raise himself up so he could avoid her lower body.

"Well…I guess I…I do need to relax a bit…"

"Good." He said, laying back down. She looked at the ground, covered in a few twigs but otherwise plush with grass before she hesitantly laid down as well, following his example. They stayed in a comfortable silence for a few minutes and Gajeel felt the effects of his lack of sleep catch up with him. Damn Natsu for his midnight snacking and clumsiness, breaking a jar and cutting open his hand at 5 fucking AM in the morning.

He yawned and Levy looked over at him, taking in his mused hair and his hooded eyes. "Tired?" she asked.

"Nah, just the sun. Ya can't wear me out from runnin' after me, shorty." He said, smirking at her again and reveling in her huff.

"Tch! You're hopeless!" She said, pouting.

"Gihihi! Nah, just honest." he said, knowing she wasn't actually mad. He looked around the park from his place on the ground. "But damn, next time we come here I gotta bring Lily…I never go to parks so it'll be a shit-load of fun for him to see one."

Levy brightened up at that. "How'd you get him anyway? You don't seem like the kind to go to pet stores." she asked, tilting her head up and to the side so she could look at him properly. She watched as he smiled softly, something that looked so out of place and yet so natural on his tanned face, forcing her to relax more. He chuckled.

"You wouldn't believe me."

"Try me?" she said, looking more curious.

He moved his head to look at her, feeling his hair glide over his palms where his skull was being cushioned. Her brown eyes were so big and the light was flickering over her face. It seemed like the orbs were actually glittering at him. He shook his head, looking up at the leaves of the tree, soon to fall due to the quickly approaching autumn.

"Well…I'd just gotten one eyebrow repierced cause a stud got ripped out in a fist fight…that hurt like a bitch, by the way, and I was going home. I didn't want to do shit other than sleep it off after taking some damn asprin but as I'm walkin', I hear this crash in some alley." He shrugged his shoulders as best he could. "Don't know why I went to check, but I did. He looked a damn sight, like some fucking skeleton. He had a giant gash on the side of his face and was hissing like damn crazy. Scrawny as hell and his ear was half chewed off."

"Oh…oh my goodness! The poor thing!" Levy said, her eyes horrified.

"Yeah, but he was a damn fighter! I picked 'im up, and he scratched the shit out of my arm. I looked crazy as hell walking home with a cat that was practically shitting itself in fear when it saw it couldn't escape. Brought him home, gave him some chicken and he warmed up damn quick. Patched him up as best I could, gave him a pillow to sleep on, and took him to the vet the next day." A smirk graced his face. "Loved me ever since."

Levy's eyes softened and she looked at the man's gruff but gentle expression. She smiled. "Why did you take him home anyway?" she asked, her voice lilting, seeming to be the only thing in their bubble.

"Hm? I guess…." His eyes took on a far away, vacant expression. "…I figured, what's the damn point in fighting your whole fucking life if nothing good happens to you in the end, ya know?"

Her eyebrows went up to her hairline at his explanation and she couldn't find it in her to answer him. It might have been for the best anyway, as it seemed like there was more to the answer, a far deeper meaning than just what she was asking for. Instead of ruining the moment and his rare genuine confession, she only moved slightly so she could put a warm hand on his arm, right under a set of scars, most likely from the small, teddy-like cat.

It felt weird, to show something so comforting for someone who looked like he could snap her like a twig, but she couldn't help it. There was something in his tone, something in those words that just yanked at her belly like a hook of sympathy. Something was there that spoke volumes about who he really was under his sour mood, his fluent vocabulary of curses and his iron strong exterior. His red eyes flicked back to her face, his mouth open, no stress or strain on his face evident. She saw the corners of his lips twitch up as he closed his eyes, leaning his head back and accepting the gentle heat of her palm and fingers on his arm.

She closed her own and told herself it was the sun that was warming her up from toes to crown, that it wasn't the man's presence that seemed to melt her body into the ground instead of forcing it to stiffen. No way was it him that made her worries go away, liquefy and run off.

But she admitted that her grin was all his doing.

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They stayed like that for what seemed like an hour, the sun beating down on them before anything happened. It was only when Levy felt something connect with her head that she opened her eyes.

"W-what the?" she asked, groggily, sitting up and rubbing her forehead. She looked to her left and saw a small ball and a child running to get it.

"Sorry miss!" the little boy said, his brown hair falling into his eyes. "I didn't mean to wake you up…"

"Wake me…wake me up? Oh no!" she said, her eyes widening as she looked around. The sun was setting, warm rays of orange and red casting down around the entire park, a stark contrast to the white light of day she had last seen. Remembering Gajeel's work schedule, she quickly looked down at her slumbering partner.

He was so…at peace when he slept. His mouth was soft, open slightly and his chest moved up and down in a gentle rhythm. His hair got in his face and it looked so natural and easy. The setting sun cast a glow to his body, coloring him warmly as he slept. She smiled at him fondly, not noticing that the boy had already run off. Unable to help herself, she reached her hand out and ran it through his hair, gently pushing the locks off of his forehead.

He let out a groan and opened his eyes, she eased her hand away.

"Shrimp?" he asked, sleepiness still evident in his voice.

"Yeah…"

"What the?" he scrunched his face up and rubbed at his eye with his fist, looking around. "We…fell asleep?"

"Looks like it." She said, still smiling at him. "Guess we relaxed a bit too much..."

Noticing it, Gajeel felt his ears heat up. He let out a single awkward cough and she seemed to break out of her stupor, looking out across the grass, away from him.

But boy, no one ever looked at him like that.

"Uh…what time is it?" he asked, carefully sitting up and reaching for his phone and checking, ignoring the 10 missed calls from Natsu and the 15 text messages from Juvia.

"Um…"

"…well shit." He said, closing his eyes and groaning.

"What?" she asked, looking concerned.

"It's 8:30…8 fucking 30."

"…"

"I'm late for work…by an hour and a half. Oh, fuck this all! Goddamnit! Cana'll have my ass on a platter."

"Hey! Calm down, I'll talk to Cana, kay?" she said, turning back to him. "It's my fault anyway."

He looked at her pointedly. "Why would you do that?" he asked.

"I brought you here." She said, looking back at him with a defiant raise of her chin. He felt a smirk bloom on his face.

"Fine." He said, standing up and offering her his hand. "Fine, you can talk to her."

She looked at his palm for only a second before she grabbed onto it with both hands, feeling the jolt through her body as he effortlessly lifted her off the ground. She turned and picked up her sketchbook and headband, noticing how her pencil was long gone. Sighing, she decided to leave it be. She only brought one anyway, plus a pencil sharpener and an eraser, both of which was missing. Still, she had spares, and it wasn't like they had the leisure time to comb through the dirt.

Besides, a kid probably took it anyway.

Gajeel looked back at her before he started walking, his muscles loosening as he did so, the stiffness easing out of them. She had to practically jog to keep up with his long strides, and she almost huffed at him before she remembered that it really was her fault that he would be in trouble. A piece of her belly bloomed in guilt. Oh, she really, really didn't want him to lose his job because of her, and if he got mad at her now, she'd never finish her project, especially since she was actually getting somewhere with drawing him.

It was strange, but it seemed that the more she tried to sketch him out, the smaller her block was getting. While her pieces weren't awe-inspiring yet, they were certainly getting there with the added practice.

Maybe she could draw him while he was asleep...there were so many different scenarios she could cook up! She still remembered when he was dripping wet from the rain. Maybe a picture with him and his cat? Focusing on the comparisons of the two? Maybe when he was shirtless? She almost shrugged, her head up in the clouds. She wondered how many tattoos and piercings he had. She hadn't actually seen the peeking of ink from any of his shirts from the back. It would be interesting to find out.

Suddenly, she jolted, feeling a warm hand on her shoulder and his curious gaze on her face.

"Shorty? You okay? You totally fucking zoned out on me."

She shook her head for a second. "I'm fine! Sorry, just thinking."

"Hmm...well, we're here." he sighed. "I'm gonna change into some spare clothes in the back...Cana's in the office next to the counter, on the left." he winced. "I'll be there in 10 minutes."

She nodded, entering the establishment and watching as Gajeel waved off a buxom blue haired woman Levy remembered seeing around the University when she was in her second year. She was completely different. Instead of the demurely curled locks Levy remembered, they were loose and wavy, framing her slightly flushed face. The woman looked slightly angry as he walked through the door, calling out "But you promised to give Juvia advice about Mr. Fullbuster! And you're late!", pouting when he just closed the door as response.

Levy smiled for only a moment before she averted her eyes to the side, gulping when she heard the smashing of a glass against the door.

Cana. The woman with no tolerance when someone messes with her alcohol, probably on break from her sudden bartending job. The small blue haired girl gathered up her nerve, reminding herself that she promised Gajeel and that she knew the brunette.

She walked to the door and opened it, bravely facing the demon and ready to sell her soul.

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**Okay, I said there would be a five day wait and...there was! Haha, sorry, I actually had to write this chapter up. Usually I have one or two in reserve but I hit a creative block on this one. (Where's MY Gajeel?)  
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**Oh, bother bother bother. This chapter is shorter than the last two (even though it's about 4,000 words), as it's composed of shameless and half mindless GaLe fluff! I LOVE these two. Gajeel is such a kid down deep on the inside! I also find it funny how Gajeel would fear Cana, even if he's technically the boss, she IS the one who signs the checks. Hmmmm, what will the lush do!? ...To be honest, your guess is as good as mine, as the next chapter is also not yet written! (Sorry about that...)  
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**Thanks go out to:** _HeirToTheShadows__,__ chill27__,__pink hell__,__ Guest__,__ FairyTailxoLove__,__ Gustrue__,__ Black Firelight__,__ TENNIS-w-GUITARS__,__ Aralys__,__ volvogai09__,__ Thegodeater__,__ Alise, Rosa Pendragon__,__ Levina__,__ Kaaryn__,__** piranha .pk (apologies! Your name didn't show up the first time because FF doesn't allow anything that looks like a link! I didn't forget you, and I bolded your name because for the first day, I didn't even know it wasn't there!)** ,__ Ulcaasi__, and_ _Tazski!_ **You guys are what keep me updating! I seriously love each and every one of you! (Sorry about the lack of Juvia Gushing, she will be present next chapter along with Lily. You guys will finally get your Gruvia (and Gruvia will become far more crucial later on!) **

**Also, how would you feel if I did a chapter on deleted scenes at the end? Half the reason this chapter took so long to crank out was because, at first, the ending was that Gajeel had swiped grass off of Levy's butt and she chased him all the way to the bar, with hilarious commentary from Gajeel. I also have one that's a Gruvia scene I would have inserted after the cell phone conversation about how she was gushing about Gray (Mr. Fullbuster, as she calls him. I know she usually calls him Gray-sama, but...I'm a westerner. I don't want to offend anyone with endings I'm not certain about.) and she only got a busy signal. I have about 5 deleted scenes so far, including a NaLu. Tell me what you think!  
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	6. Maybe This Was A Bad Idea

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_"Love does not just sit there, like a stone; it has to be made, like bread, remade all the time, made new."_  
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The brunette was turned around in her plush chair and Levy could practically feel her seething. Gulping, she closed the door, noticing how Cana hadn't even bothered to swivel around to look at who had come into her office. Levy began to chew on her lip, wringing her hands around one another as she opened her mouth, ready to call attention to herself.

"Gajeel Redfox, if that's you, you can bet your ass that you're in some DEEP shit!" Cana called out, turning around in her chair so suddenly that her hair whipped around her like a gale had swept by. "You're fucking lucky you even have this jo-…job…Levy?" the woman asked, looking at the bewildered bluenette in surprise.

"…Hi there Cana." She said, nervously waving at her.

An eyebrow raised, the woman folded her hands on her desk, and looked at her pointedly. "Not that I don't appreciate your company but…why are you here, exactly?" she asked, watching as Levy sidestepped the broken glass that was on the carpet next to the door, walking a few feet away so she could face her.

"Well…um…it's about Gajeel-"

"Gajeel? My lazy ass bartender who's LATE as HELL? YOU want to talk to me about HIM?" Cana asked, looking flabbergasted.

"Well…um…yes?"

"Why?"

Levy gulped. She had to play her cards right, especially since Cana was one of the hardest women to fool on the face of the planet. She had an excellent poker face, a fantastic tolerance, and a short fuse for bullshit.

Honesty really would be the best policy.

"Um…well, I just wanted to tell you that he's here and-"

"He's HERE? As in, FINALLY?" she asked, pouring herself a glass of wine and setting it down on her desk. "So why are YOU in my office?" Cana asked, carelessly dangling the cup between her middle and ring finger, sloshing the liquid around.

Taking a deep breath, the blue haired woman straightened up and looked her in the eye. "I'm the reason he was late today, so I felt like I should be the one to explain."

Suddenly, Cana smiled, a mischievous little thing that stretched across her face. She lifted the glass to her lips, effectively concealing it for the barest moment. "Does this have anything to do with the painting bargain you two made that I was so proud of?"

"Well…yes, it does."

"And, if you don't mind me asking, what exactly were you two doing that made him so late?"

"…I was drawing him."

"He was late because you were drawing him? I find that a bit hard to believe, Levy. You've been doing this for about a month now."

"We just lost track of time."

"Is that all?" she asked, biting down on her tongue.

"Well…not the entire time…but yeah" Levy said, looking wary of the woman in front of her.

"So, what exactly were you two doing other than posing and drawing that made him late by an_ hour_ and a _half_?"

"We...we slept."

"You slept?"

"Yes…in the park."

"Together?" Cana asked, leaning forward.

"Yes-" at Cana's lecherous grin, Levy felt the flush creep up over her neck and shoulders. "I mean no! Not in-Not in the way you're thinking!" She said, her hands outstretched in front of her as if shielding her from the very idea.

"Oh?"

"Y-yes! We just took a nap together-…as in, side by side!...Clothed."

"I'll take your word for it." Cana said, chuckling as she downed her glass. "And, no offense to you, but the sex life you may or may not have between my employee, as fascinating a subject as it may be, is really none of my concern."

"I just wanted to…explain…" Levy said, weakly.

"Why?"

"I…I just didn't want him to get in trouble."

Cana smiled. "You know, you're my friend. If you just said it was your fault, I would have let it go. We go back far enough for me to trust you. Plus, you never really lie."

"…" Levy looked down, scuffling her shoes back and forth.

"-but, since you felt the need to highlight the relationship you have with him…how about I cut you a deal?"

Quickly, Levy felt her head snap up to look at her old friend. "I thought you said that it would be okay if I just said it was my fault."

"Yes…but, Levy Levy Levy, I am a businesswoman…and since he seems to be in a far better mood since your little sessions started, I have a perfect solution!"

"…a better mood? Really?" Levy asked, feeling a swell of pride develop in her chest.

Noting her happier expression, Cana smirked. "Yes. How about this: you'll waitress during his shift and I won't fire him."

"I can't believe he's been in a bette-…wait, what? Waitress!?"

"Yes. This way, he won't be late because you'll be together, he'll be in a good mood more often, and the money problems Lucy told me about would go down. Besides, I'm down in staff and I really can't man that counter by myself, and Bacchus is sick."

"But…but I haven't waitressed since High School!"

"I know, I know." Cana said. "Oh, one moment." She said, suddenly picking up her wine glass and throwing it at the door. "REDFOX! GET YOUR ASS BEHIND THAT COUNTER AND DON'T YOU DARE COME IN HERE!" she screamed, taking satisfaction in the heavy footsteps that quickly faded away.

Levy's big, brown eyes were wide and fearful, staring at the woman in front of her like she was a demon.

"…now then, about that waitressing job?" Cana asked, smirk stretching ear to ear.

* * *

Gajeel was not happy. No, not by a long shot. He was wearing crumpled clothes that were really only in the back for emergencies, needed a shower pretty badly, had to spent five minutes picking twigs and leaves out of his hair and to top it all off, his boss was some kind of hellish ghoul and the woman who was keeping him company was a complete chatterbox.

After being yelled at as if he was a child, he walked back to the counter and faced his doom in the form of a Miss Juvia Loxar, his best friend since high school and fangirl extraordinaire.

"NOW will you listen to Juvia?" she huffed, her bare arms crossed in front of her. Her long blue hair swished down on her forearms and she pouted, her light lipgloss shining in the glow of the lamps.

Sighing, the man just grabbed a glass and poured her the usual: a simple Tequila Sunrise.

"Go ahead, not like there's shit to do here." He said, gesturing to the barren counter where she was the only customer.

As if a switch went off in her head, the woman quickly perked up, her smile turning on like a lightbulb. "Well, Juvia wanted to call you, but she just got a dial tone! Guess what happened today!" she said, looking giddy as he set the drink down in front of her.

"What?" he deadpanned.

"He…he told Juvia to call him GRAY!" she said, squealing and hugging her arms around her.

"…I fail to see how this is as big a damn deal as you're making it out to be."

"Don't you understand? He said…he told Juvia to address him…CASUALLY! As if we're friends or…or lovers…" she said, a far-away look in her eyes as she fanned her glowing pink face, her drink forgotten in front of her as she seemed to sparkle.

"…or he got tired of being called fucking Mr. Fullbuster when he's only 26 years old."

"No…he obviously has an interest in Juvia!

"Aaaaand here it is."

"Juvia and Mr. Full-…Gray…Juvia and Gray will get married after our exhibition will become famous! We will be the watery superstars of this world and our honeymoon will be in Tahiti by the beautiful beach and we will have 30 babies!" she said, her eyes closed, hands clasped together.

"Fascinating."

"It's meant to be…Gray's ice sculptures can only exist because of the water that Juvia paints…we are connected by FATE!"

"…"

"FATE! FATE GAJEEL! DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?" She asked, eyes wide and arms flailing.

"….You're bloody batshit."

"Gajeel simply doesn't understand LOVE." She chided, looking stern.

"If this is love, I'll stick to casual fucking."

Sighing dreamily, she seemed to melt against the counter. "When you find a love like Juvia's and Mr. Fullbuster-Gray's, you will understand."

"Let the gods be merciful."

Smiling, Juvia placed her elbows down on the counter and smiled at him widely. "Yes, maybe a beautiful woman will enter Gajeel's life one of these days."

He snorted, pouring himself a shot of vodka. "Yeah, sure."

"It's true! There is someone for everyone." She said. "Even if they're grumpy and antisocial."

Gajeel let out a laugh, drinking down the shot and grinning at her. He shook his head, gesturing to her drink and the woman only smiled back, sipping at it. He and Juvia went back a long, long way and they were really the closest of friends. Back when they went to Phantom, she was the only person who bothered to get close to him, and as such, she had the ultimate protection of the infamous and notorious Gajeel Redfox. Juvia herself was an orphan who was the sole heir to the Loxar fortune, always being isolated due to the nature of her past, her luck, and her gloominess even though she would only inherit if she was 18 years of age.

It was Juvia who got Gajeel out of jail when he was finally busted, Juvia who lent him the money to move to a different town, Juvia who offered to pay for an apartment in the city where she was going to school, Juvia who stayed by his side, Juvia who gave him a chance. She was the only person who refused to testify against him when the Phantom High scandal went down, the woman who paid off the newspapers and media to keep hush about the entire ordeal. She was the reason he wasn't rotting away in a cell and he was the reason she was still alive, having been by her side when she had trouble, protecting her when the shit hit the fan in Phantom.

Sure, the woman had some dreary watercolors, but she was also the most loyal and kindhearted friend anyone could have. Gajeel was glad that she had finally found someone she could reach out to, a man who wasn't him and one that she didn't have a sibling-like connection to.

Gajeel sighed. She was the only person he'd trusted enough to talk about his father with, the only person he could actually talk to at all.

"Well, you seem happier at least."

She nodded excitedly. "Mr. Fullbuster makes Juvia happy! Juvia has moved onto drawing lakes and oceans instead of rain."

"…Really? Fuck, you've been drawing rain since you were 12."

She shyly blushed, palms to her cheeks. "Mr. Fullbu-Gray! Gray…Gray has helped Juvia."

Gajeel nodded, remembering her problems with depression in the past. "Have you gone off the pills?"

"Yes…Juvia doesn't need them anymore."

"I wanna meet 'im. Tell 'im that I'll break his fucking neck if he lets you down."

"Gajeel!" she chided, trying to hold back her giggles as the man grinned at her, his sharp canines glinting. "You're just full of trouble."

"Makes me interesting."

She shook her head again but suddenly stopped, her eyebrows coming together. "Oh yeah, Juvia just remembered! Juvia wanted to ask you something."

"Hm?" he asked, leaning back. "Go ahead."

"Who was the woman you walked in with? Juvia remembers her…"

"Oh, shorty? Name's Levy."

"Levy…McGarden?"

"Yeah."

"Oh wow! How do you know her? Juvia has heard that she has been having trouble painting recently! She's supposed to be a protégée."

"Don't know shit about that. She's just a shrimp to me." He shrugged. "She won a fucking bet and made me bloody model for her, that's all."

"…You…MODEL?" she asked, bewildered.

"…Yeah."

"But you wouldn't even model for Juvia!" she whined, looking at him critically.

"…You wanted to pour a fucking bucket of water on top of my head every thirty goddamn minutes for five hours while you drew me. Screw that!"

She twisted her mouth off to one side. "Gajeel, for art, there is suffering."

"I suffer enough, thanks."

"…What does she make you do?" Juvia asked, leaning forward, a perverse gleam in her eye.

"…Gloomy woman, lose that look, fucking NOW."

She grinned at him. "Does Gajeel REALLY suffer? You wouldn't stay if you were."

"O-oi! It was just a bet!"

"JUVIA KNEW IT!" she screeched, standing up from her barstool and waving her arms around, a happy flush on her face. "Gajeel is in love with the protégée! Gajeel knows love like Juvia does! GAJEEL WILL HAVE THIRTY BABIES WITH MISS MCGARDE-"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP GLOOMY WOMAN!" he screamed, grabbing her shoulders and shoving her back down onto her seat, a hand firmly clasped onto her mouth.

"Mddghryt."

"Fuck. No! Jesus bloody Christ, you really are batshit." He said, his ears uncomfortably hot in the cool room. He could feel Juvia's pout against his palm, her accusation causing looks of confusion to be tossed at the bar. "…She's had a few too many." Gajeel said, pointing to the glass in front of her, completely empty. He let out a sigh of relief as the patrons at the tables only shrugged and turned back to their drinks, the three waitresses on duty at the time giggling from behind their fingers.

Gajeel removed his hand from his best friend's face and glared when she opened her mouth again. "Don't. You. Start."

"Juvia is sorry, Gajeel…Juvia was only excited that Gajeel finally found love like Juvia has! Gajeel finally has a woman!"

"I haven't found a bloody woman!"

"But-"

"Um…Gajeel?" Levy asked, looking at him in confusion as he pulled away from the other bluenette to look at her. "I…finished talking to Cana."

"Great. Yeah, that's fucking great. Yeah."

"…Yeah."

"So, is my ass grass or what?" he asked, keeping an eye on the taller bluenette and her grin.

"Well...no, you still have your job."

"Pay cut?"

"No…everything's the same."

"…Really? Fuck, shrimp, that's incredible!" he said, turning to look at her, genuinely happy.

"Yeah…and I have a new job."

"…what?"

"…I'm working here now."

"…Juvia thinks it's time for her to leave…have fun Gajeel…Levy."

The smaller woman looked at her, wondering how she knew her name as she winked at the two of them and skipped out of the establishment, her blue hair swishing, a chant of "Gray" following her.

"…A friend of yours?"

"What the fuck do you mean you're working here now?"

She flinched as he completely ignored her question. "Well…I'm a waitress now."

"…A fucking waitress."

"And…I have your shift."

"WHAT?" he asked.

No, Gajeel was not happy at all.

Not. At. All.

* * *

"Um…Natsu, do you think I should really be here? Isn't this Gajeel's apartment?" Lucy asked, holding down a yawn as she looked around at the small flat, taking in the surprising cleanliness of the place with a faint sense of admiration.

"We share it! 'Sides, he doesn't care."

"Did you ask?"

"Nope!" he said, still grinning. "But he won't be back till 2 am, and he'll never know!"

She let out a forced chuckle, amused and apprehensive of his cheerfulness. "You sure are joyful." She said, imagining that if she were in a cartoon, she'd be sweatdropping at that point.

He only grinned at her wider, flitting into the kitchen. "Want food? I can make sandwiches."

"No…just water would be nice." She said, knowing she wouldn't be able to stomach much. She looked around, sitting down on the couch and letting out a sigh of content. She saw a bright blue kitten walking toward her gingerly, and remembered how Natsu had told her that he dyed his calico kitten. She really had missed Happy and she watch as he walked forward, gently sticking her hand out so he could sniff it. Once he did, he purred and rubbed his cheek against her open palm.

Smiling, Lucy picked up the cat and set it onto her lap, a fond smile playing at her lips as she carefully pet him. Next to her, the black cat she remembered from two months ago had hopped up onto the seat of the couch and tilted its head at her, looking confused.

Gently, Lucy outstretched a hand to him as well, but the cat only lay on his back, stretching out and letting out a "meow" while she chuckled, rubbing his belly.

He purred, his paws up in the air, gently tilted while his tail went crazy, nose twitching as the black down of his fur was moved about. He playfully tried to nip at her hand, but Lucy only giggled and tugged on his ear gently, one hand still petting the blue kitten in her lap.

Natsu walked over, a cup of water in his hand and a soda can in the other as he watched the blonde.

She smiled sleepily at him when she noticed that he came over, and the pink haired man picked up Lily, eliciting a whine in protest from the kitten when he set him down on his own lap and began to pet him in the wrong direction.

Lucy burst out into giggles when she saw the "Are you kidding me?" look the black cat shot him.

"You-you sure have a way with animals, Natsu!" she said, grabbing the glass of water before she completely lost it.

"Aww, thanks Luce! Lil' loves me!"

She chewed on her cheek when she saw the "Like hell I do!" look the feline shot him, his claws already digging into Natsu's pants.

"Maybe you should let him go and show Happy some attention?" she asked, rubbing him behind the ears.

"Yeah! You have the best advice, Luce!" he said, carefully taking Happy off of her lap, his hand brushing against her thigh while Lily ran off to the safety of the kitchen, munching on his treats thankfully.

Lucy looked away, feeling happier than she should have when he said that. "You over exaggerate!" she said.

"Nah!" Natsu replied, confident as ever as he gulped down soda. "But I'm really glad you're back!" he said, referring to the trip she had to take for a week and a half on behalf of her collection.

"Yeah…me too." She said, turning back to him. "That trip was tiring."

"Sleepy?" he asked, looking her over.

"Yeah…I went to the studio first and then Levy's house but she wasn't there…so today has been a wild goose chase until I saw you at the market."

"So I'm the first person you saw today that you knew?"

"Yeah…" she said.

"Good!" he grinned, staring at her happily. "We need to spend as much time as we can together to make up for what we lost!"

"…yeah…yeah we do." She said, feeling her eyes soften as she looked at him.

"And Gajeel won't be home for like five more hours!"

She giggled. "Yeah."

"And after that, we'll just crash at your apartment!"

"Yeah-what? No!"

"No?" he asked.

"I still need my sleep Natsu!" she said, looking at him amused.

"Okay, go ahead and sleep then!"

"…Here?"

"Yeah! We have five hours so go ahead and then we can spend the night together!"

"You're…crazy." she said, yawning in the middle and shaking her head.

"I hope you have food at your house" he said, taking in her grogginess. "…I'm kinda starved."

"You're always starved!" Lucy said, suppressing another yawn.

"But I'll be even more hungry after your nap!"

She looked at him, taking in the happy glint in his black eyes and his hopeful expression, coupled with her own exhaustion and sighed in defeat.

"…Oh, just wake me up in a few hours."

"Gotcha Luce!"

'He's crazy…' she thought, laying back against the comfortable couch as she tucked her legs under her, the cushions downy and soft, feeling herself drift to sleep after a long and exhausting day, unknowing of the warm arm that wrapped around her and the chest her head was pillowed by.

A pair of blue and black cats sat, watching the two of them and taking in the loving sight, padding off to their own corners, unwilling to disturb them.

* * *

**I know, I know, this chapter is short and...kind of bad. I'll be the first to criticize this! Dialog has ALWAYS been one of my weaker points. ^^; But, enough of my whining, I'VE REACHED 100+ REVIEWS! Pardon me while I fangirl! Oh my glob, you guys, I love you all so much. *sniffle* This is my FIRST successful fanfiction and I've been so shocked to get so many reviews and follows, favorites and views on this little fic. You guys are why I keep updating this thing, and because so many people requested it: There will in fact be an extra long deleted scenes chapter at the end of this fic! Including my scrapped idea of Cana and Levy's talk!  
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**Mainly, this chapter was about strengthening Lucy and Natsu's relationship, establishing a VERY important connection between Juvia and Gajeel (that jail bit will be incredibly crucial later on!) and making Levy and Gajeel spend even more time together, so pardon me if it was a bit unsatisfying. I know I'm teasing you about Gajeel's past, but it will come out in due time! Haha, just put up with me for now. We're getting into the meat of the story now, heading closer to the middle. Also, I think I'm going to change the rating to M because of ALL the cursing and the mentions of sexual situations that will come a bit later. I highly doubt anything explicit will happen, but I've had a fic deleted that was rated T that had NO sexual relations and just strong language, and I really don't want to lose all the progress I've made on this.  
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**As for my slow update speed, this time, I actually have a reason...my bed broke. No, I didn't suddenly develop a steamy love life (I wish). The bed was just really old and due to break anyway, so for the past few days, I've been bed shopping and sleeping on just a mattress on the floor. It's VERY uncomfortable for me as I have no desk so I type on my bed, and I really just wanted to crank something out, so please don't mind it. I'm trying and oh my glob, I write some LONG author's notes!  
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**And, as always, I LOVE YOU GUYS! **_Alise, FairyVampire-chan, HeirToTheShadows, Ikhny Shy, Black Firelight, FairyTailxoLove, volvagia09, KuroshitsujiLawliet, chill27, Guest, Thegodeater, Ulcaasi, TENNIS-w-GUITARS, Angelovergirl, Levina, Rosa Pendragon, Kaaryn, Shiro-Kitsune8, Naturesshadows, piranha pk, _**MaliceArchangela (MY HUNDREDTH REVIEWER!)** _chizuruMiki, and Miss Mungoe! _**Next chapter should be in a few days. I try to update at least once a week, so I'm still on schedule! Till next chapter! xoxox  
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	7. Wearing Down The Walls

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"It's such a crass idea - you're either in love or out of love."  
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Gajeel sighed, running a hand down his face in exasperation. If he wasn't already in the dog house for being so late, he would have probably marched into Cana's office and called her insane for hiring the tiny woman to waitress in the bar.

Unfortunately, he WAS in the doghouse, so he couldn't exactly do that without expecting a bottle to the face and possibly a kick to the teeth by means of her wrath. Cana was usually very selective about the women who were waitresses in the bar, and usually, he didn't doubt her judgment but Blue didn't even look like she'd last the day.

She chewed on her lip, her hands wringing around themselves as she looked around awkwardly. Sighing, he leaned against the counter again and looked off to the side where the gaggle of women who took his shift always stayed. There were only three of them sitting around a circular table, their white blouses tucked into the high waist black pencil skirts, lean legs folded carefully.

Looking back at the bluenette, he noted that they might not even HAVE a uniform that fit her.

"So, you mind tellin' me how the hell you got raked into this?" he asked, setting his hands down in front of her.

She looked up, her brown eyes flashing into his for the barest moment before she looked down again in embarrassment. "Cana…made me a deal."

"What is it with you and deals?" Gajeel asked, ready to throw his hands in the air.

"Hey, it kept you your job!" She retorted, looking at him with her mouth twisted up to the side.

The black haired man bit down on his tongue, idly messing around with the two barbells to keep him from glaring. Okay, fine, it was true that the shrimp had saved his ass from unemployment, but that didn't mean he was going to be happy about it.

For starters, she didn't look like she could stay awake past 10 pm, especially with the weary look on her face. It was only 9 and she already seemed like she was ready to fold up and take a nap like some kind of kitten, cat ears, paws and all.

Though, upon the mental image he got, he decided that it was not a wise thing to think of a woman folding up and being like a cat, so he instantly punched the thought away.

Instead, he focused on the fact that his shift ended at 2 am. As in, he locked up the place. During the day, Bacchus was the person who manned the bar with Cana taking over for about two hours after his shift was over, waiting for Gajeel to arrive. The bar opened up at 10 am in the morning, so Bacchus worked until 5 and usually crashed at the bar due to his relationship with the owner.

For waitresses, the shifts were different. There were about 20 girls who worked in the place, either as entertainment in the form of singing or as simple waitresses, delivering drinks and looking pretty. As such, since the bar was open 18 hours a day, with Cana heading out at around 10, the girls had shifts of only about 4 to 5 hours.

Except the late night crowd.

There used to be 6 girls who worked the late shift, and it was usually for the desperate type. Once, there was a woman who had three kids to support and a fourth on the way and the late shift was her only option as she worked another job during the day.

It was pretty brutal. It was the longest shift out of all of them, 8 hours instead of 5 and was also the busiest. Since there used to be 6 workers instead of the current 3 (4, including Levy), the girls used to split up the shifts so they worked in rounds, scheduling out breaks and things of that nature. Since Cana usually wasn't around to regulate at that point, it was Gajeel's job to oversee that they didn't slack off.

As if they could: from midnight to 2 am was the rush. Every single person who had troubles would come in, ready to throw down shot after shot. They got everything from sleazy older men, trying to cop feels to pretty boys who got dumped, to girls lookin' to get lucky and women who complained about their husbands.

Fun, right?

It would seem that Gajeel could get a degree as a therapist with how many issues his customers poured onto him, drunk out of their minds.

But he didn't want to be locked up, so he listened to the lonely fucks who thought he gave a shit.

He could handle it, after all, Natsu was more annoying than they were. It was the women he had slight concern for. One of the girls who worked the shift was a woman by the name of Kinana, and she was family.

Not related by birth, but ever since she married Cobra she became family. The guy was some distant cousin, closer to Natsu than he was to Gajeel, but he still asked for him to take care of the lady so she could have enough money to raise their son while he dealt with…business.

So, many a man had become well acquainted with the brute force that he could muster up with little to no effort when they became "hands-y".

…And they liked to get hands-y.

Most of the waitresses would just sigh and go on their way, accepting the fact that they were drunk and if a smack to the butt would ensure that they had food on the table, then hey, they got food on the table. And it wasn't as if Gajeel was some chivalrous knight in shining armor.

It was just that he wasn't exactly the kind of bastard that could sit by and watch chicks get harassed, especially since his best friend happened to be a girl.

And okay, maybe (MAYBE) he was starting to get a soft spot for Blue, with her big brown eyes and her 1000 watt smile, and seeing her getting groped was not exactly on his bucket list.

"Have you ever even DONE something like this, shrimpette?" he asked, looking her over.

"I waitressed in high school…for a few years."

"Not in a bar I'm assuming." Gajeel said, dryly.

"Well….no. But it can't be that different, right?" Levy asked in a rush, looking him over and wanting to see some kind of encouragement.

He shook his head and she practically deflated. "Look, Tiny, you got the hardest fucking shift in the house."

"I can handle it!" she said, stubbornly.

"Till 2 am? You can handle being on your teeny lil' feet for 8 hours, runnin' around this goddamn place?" he asked.

"You can do it." She retorted.

"There's a BIG difference between what I can handle and what YOU can handle, squirt. For one, I've got more endurance."

She glared. "Are you saying I'm incapable? I had plenty of endurance when I chased you!"

He grinned. "Yeah, you did. But you look like you'll drop piss dead in an hour. Hell, you probably have a bedtime."

"I do NOT! I am not a child!" she said, pouting up at him and making what she said before seem very, very ironic. "Oh yeah, when do you usually go to sleep?"

Taken aback, she sheepishly looked down. "Usually 11…if I don't have any caffeine."

"That's a bedtime, blue. Get ready to work while you're a zombie. We don't get coffee in here unless you wanna make a run to the shop four blocks down, and during Rush, you won't have a chance in hell to do that. Unless liquid courage is your deal, you're piss out of luck. When do you wake up?"

"….around 8 am."

"6 hours o' sleep'll do you some right fine good, hm? You really got the best deal." he said, rolling his eyes sarcastically. "Cana must be cacklin' like the witch she is.

"Well…it's not like I have much choice." She said, pouting up at him.

"She's your friend, talk to the bitch."

She shook her head, slight scowl on her face as her blue curls settling on her shoulders. "Non negotiable. She said I work your shift or you don't get one anymore. And don't call her a bitch!"

"What ELSE would you call her?" he asked, wincing as he ran a hand through his hair, letting the band holding it together go loose. He spotted the almost guilty expression on her face before he looked around as he went to tie it back up. In sharp contrast to the rush, 10 to midnight was like a ghost town. People still had things to do, clubs to go to, and arguments to win. It was really the messed up people who came around after that. There were always stragglers though, and one of the ladies could usually handle it. Looking back at her, he noted how her eyes were focused on his hands as he pulled his hair out of his face. He held back a grin of triumph, instead deciding to speak up.

"Do you have to stay today?" he asked.

She seemed to almost jolt and then quickly composed herself. "She told me to shadow someone…get fit for a uniform. You know, learn the ropes?"

"Yeah, I know. I've been workin' here longer than you have, munchkin." he said teasingly.

"Will you stop with the names?" she asked, looking ready to throttle him.

"Not a chance in hell." He replied, watching as she flopped back down into her seat and set her cheek onto her palm to give him a disapproving look.

Seems like Gajeel was going to have to keep an extra close eye on her.

* * *

Levy was out like a light.

No, really, she was out like a light, snoring softly. Gajeel hadn't payed much attention to her, after their conversation. He had sent her off to see Kinana and let the two women discuss the manner of the job in their own privacy. It was getting pretty late. The night was black as pitch and some of the customers were starting to stumble in, but they were a trickle compared to what they'd be later. Gajeel didn't have to do much, just pour a few glasses of whiskey or brandy, a margarita here or there, nothing complex or difficult. In fact, it was an easy night. He could just lounge around. However, Kinana was running her shift, delivering drinks to those who sat at the tables. The bar counter was empty, so he didn't have to mix anything up. Instead, the customers just ordered from a list of simple drinks that he could pop into a glass in an instant and be done with.

But, if Kinana was running her shift, where exactly was the bluenette? Well, she was in the corner, a darkened portion of the place that usually only the grumpy customers sat at. The waitresses flipped coins to see who got to serve that table. Cana had already left, so it was up to Gajeel to keep count of how many customers they had and what was happening. Of course, the first place he turned his eyes to was the "trouble corner".

And who should he find there but her? He was amused for a total of about three seconds before the realization hit him. He couldn't just leave her there. Grumbling, Gajeel let Yukino man the bar while he walked over to her, intent on waking her so she could head to Cana's office and sleep in the plush chair.

After all, it was unlocked because sometimes, Gajeel would need something from there: extra glasses if someone broke one, a first aid kit if anything went out of hand, bottles of alcohol in case something he had to serve went dry. In fact, it was only four months into his working there that he insisted she leave the office open and give him a key. She had been wary at first, but after one of the waitresses, some girl called Mary, broke a bottle and got glass imbedded in her hand after Cana had left, she relented and accepted the fact that since she couldn't be there all the time, it was only fair.

So, he took advantage of that sometimes.

He looked down at her, her head pillowed by her slender arms, her face so peaceful and carefully composed that he didn't really want to wake her. Plus, they did run around a lot and she seemed tired enough to nap under the tree. If he woke her, she'd probably be too stubborn to sleep. Sighing, Gajeel relented.

Bah, he was getting so soft.

He scooped her up, not particularly surprised by how light she actually was. He tried to avoid looking down at her as her shorts hiked up higher and higher on her thighs and seemingly lower and lower on her hips, something he was sure the gods were doing simply out of spite. He tries to do something nice for once in his life, and what does he get rewarded with?

He really needed to kick Natsu out of his apartment so he could go back to his old ways, accepting offers from women who leaned up against the bar counter with their flirty eyes and their low cut shirts.

And damn it all, did she just nuzzle him? He looked down, finally, seeing her yawn and wrap her arms around his neck sleepily. Oh NO! Gajeel was NOT a teddy bear and he was certainly not going to be made into one in an establishment of drunk losers who had little to no control of their big mouths. Quickly, he supported her with one arm as he opened up the door to Cana's office, closing it with his foot as he stabilized her weight with both appendages again.

The girl seemed to be a snuggler, he noted, as she curled her body up, the back of her knees pressing hard against his arms, her face forward, cheek pressed against his chest while he strode up to the chair behind the desk, almost certain that if she tucked her legs under her, she could actually sleep in the damn thing like it was a bed or a couch. With a harsh gentleness, he lay her down and removed his limbs from her body, arranging her in a manner that would cause the least stiffness upon waking. He avoided her legs entirely, just letting them dangle. He grabbed a pillow from Cana's closet and set it down on the desk, laying her head down on it. Her arms instantly tightened, hugging it to her cheeks.

He chuckled.

It was 11:30, and of course, he was right.

She didn't last the day after all.

He smirked, closing the door as he walked back to the bar, his heavy footsteps alerting the silvery haired woman that he was heading back. It wasn't Rush time yet, so she didn't have her hands full with impossible customers, but Gajeel wanted to get Levy out of the soon to be ridiculous bar so nothing would happen to her. Besides, she needed to get a quick nap in, and 2 and a half hours of undisturbed rest was something that he was sure would help her. Plus, coupled with the nap she took before under the tree with him, it would send her sleeping patterns out of wack and make it easier for her to develop the schedule for the night shift. She would have to learn how to buck up, especially for Thursdays.

Shuddering, Gajeel was instantly reminded of the two evil women who always frequented the bar, half starting fights with one another from across fancy bottles and glasses of wine, comparing their clients/lovers and clashing with their overly polite attitudes.

Erza Scarlet and Mirajane Struass…well, soon to be Erza Fernandes and Mirajane Dreyer, he hears. Then again, maybe the gossip from the waitresses is something he really shouldn't eavesdrop on.

…Maybe he could convince Cana that there was no way she'd be ready in time for them. He shuddered again, half annoyed that all the women in his life were feisty, spunky and terrifying. He didn't think she would be when he first saw her, but he had to admit that she had guts for standing up to a man who could have been a murderer. She reminded him a bit of Juvia only...nicer? Sweeter?

No, that wasn't it. Probably more normal. She was shorter and had a wider grin, and didn't babble a lot, but she did have a nice voice and she was shaped more to his liking than Juvia was.

He never did like the busty type.

Sighing, he quickly shook his head, pouring himself another shot so he could prepare himself for what was to come in about thirty minutes or so. His eyes went to the side, looking at the closed door to his boss's office.

In any case, Day 1 was officially Failed.

* * *

Lucy was beautiful when she slept.

She wasn't one of those messy sleepers, with her mouth gaping open ridiculously wide, drooling and snoring as loudly as she could. Instead, she was delicate, dainty, breathing mainly through her nose. She was curled up, pressing against Natsu, her head pillowed by his chest and her legs tucked underneath her so she could fit on the couch comfortably.

Natsu didn't really think this through.

Sure, at the time, he had wrapped his arm around her, tugging her forward so she could sleep easier, but he wasn't tired. And he had almost NOTHING to do to occupy himself.

He sighed, reaching out a hand and playing with her hair, loose and waved, framing her face. He was bored. And a bored Natsu isn't a content Natsu.

In fact, a bored Natsu tends to be a pretty dangerous Natsu. But, this was Lucy.

He flicked her ponytail, frowning in his boredom, hoping that Happy would pad into the room or something along those lines. Of course, Gajeel wouldn't be home for two more hours, but what did that matter? They were planning to be long gone by then, so he wasn't an option to relieve the lack of things to do.

He'd throw a fit since Natsu invited a girl over to his apartment and didn't even help pay rent. Which was why he wasn't planning on telling him. He sighed again, knowing he needed to get a job soon. He wasn't a mooch, and he knew Gajeel was going to start struggling pretty soon. The guy was only used to taking care of himself and a cat, so suddenly doubling the number in the apartment was a bit ridiculous.

Gajeel had flat out told Cobra that he wasn't going to take Kinana and her son in when Cobra ran into trouble and had to skip town for a few months. Kinana always got postcards from him, and of course, money, messages, emails, pictures and well wishes to her and her boy, who was only about 7 months old. Though, she works at the bar so he keeps an eye out for her, he knew he wouldn't be able to support all three of them.

Natsu felt just a LITTLE guilty that he imposed upon him. Gajeel really wasn't a bad guy and he knew that he was taking advantage of the unfortunate walk out of Metalicana, but he didn't have much choice. Igneel had taken him in, but he also had sufficient funds for taking care of two boys, even without any help. His work as a firefighter made it harder for Natsu to spend time with him, but when his coworkers found out that he took in another boy, they helped out as well.

Now they were adults, no more doting parent, no more gifts from kind strangers. Gajeel had, however, in a rare act of kindness, alerted most of the other family members about Kinana's predicament and they helped her, but he would never go to Porlyusica, Wendy's aunt, or Rogue for help in the financial field.

Especially since their distant cousin seemed to have some weird kind of obsession with him. The guy even bought red contacts so he could look more like him. Natsu chuckled. Though the family they had was small, it was certainly interesting. He was about to stretch until he remembered Lucy and huffed.

Okay, fine, a few stiff joints never killed anyone. He'd gotten worse cramps from stubbing his toe.

He looked around the apartment, noting the cleanliness. Gajeel had been around the place less and less as he spent more time with Levy. That was good, in Natsu's eyes. Finally, the man was getting a decent influence on him. She seemed like she enjoyed his company too. Natsu smirked, remembering how he had checked Gajeel's phone and found all the calls and texts she sent him.

They didn't go a single day without talking to each other since she had actually called him for the first time. Boy, that punch had hurt, anyway, when he teased him. But he should have known that Natsu would, that's just who he was!

Okay, so maybe he was just a TAD bit too dense to realize that Gajeel would thrust his fist out, but he did take it in stride.

…Even if his face hurt something awful for a few hours.

Still, he owed him. Soon, he decided, firmly, soon he was going to find a job. He'd send Lisanna a letter about how he was stabilized and make her stop worrying, he'd get off of Gajeel's back, and he'd prove Sting and his smug chortle of "You? No way in hell you'll find another job." wrong.

Because everyone was like that when he was in high school too, anyway. And middle school. Boy, he remembered middle school well.

He was always a bit of a class clown, managing to make everyone laugh. Lisanna was most grateful for that, but then there was also Gajeel, who appreciated the odd laugh every once in a while. Natsu nearly choked on his spit when he remembered how he used to be, back when he didn't have any piercings and his hair was cut short.

The guy was such a dork.

Not in the way that he was super smart, though he WAS plenty smart, he was picked on a lot. Especially because, when he had the choice of Choir, Orchestra or Gym, he picked orchestra.

And learned the cello.

Natsu snorted, remembering how the damn thing was bigger than HE was. Gajeel didn't like gym because he didn't like a lot of the guys in the school and he was more of a loner, so the prospect of private lessons and getting to take three classes off a week so he could "practice" was appealing. Plus, he was allowed to cut class any time he wanted four days before a performance, so he jumped at the chance. He got teased a lot for it and ended up in a plenty of brawls. Once, he had to perform with a black eye. Good times, those were.

Last Natsu heard, the guy had quit and took up the guitar when Natsu left. Igneel had encouraged the cello, telling him that Gajeel's mom used to play.

When he died, Gajeel got his first piercings, a double set of tongue barbells and he refused to even look at the bass clef, settling for an instrument that was set in treble instead. He had a hard time in learning the new clef, but he knew the keys and sounds, so he learned pretty quick. If he had continued playing the instrument that two of the most important people in his life loved after they died, he would have probably gone insane.

That was the last Natsu had heard of Gajeel's life before he found him after college; the last message that the guy sent him when he was still in high school.

"Quit the cello. Learned guitar." was all he sent before contact stopped for years. Heck, the only way he found him was through Cobra, who also told him about his entire situation with Kinana, and that was after he asked Rogue, Wendy AND Sting. If it wasn't for him, Natsu would still be on a wild goose chase, as the guy was obviously not back in his hometown. When he asked Lisanna what happened to him or Phantom High, she just tensed up, her hands stopped washing the dishes and she replied, in a strained, high voice that she didn't really want to talk about it.

She had attended a different school, but it was obvious that what happened in the town was…interesting, to say the least. Still, Natsu didn't pry, it didn't concern him at the time. But...well, there was nothing to do, now was there?

Carefully, he pulled Lucy off of him, gently setting her down on the couch fully so he wouldn't disturb her any more in his musings. He stood, walking to the kitchen to grab another drink, as his soda was long gone and then made his way to Gajeel's room.

He was only going to grab a change of clothes, but it was obvious that his cousin wasn't going to tell him anything. He had a sinking feeling in his stomach that Gajeel had something to hide.

And it would only be found in his room.

* * *

**So, next chapter will be a LONG one. I'm seeing 6,000-7,000 words on that one. If not, 5,000, at least. My apologies for updating with a transitional chapter, and leaving you guys with a mild cliffie, but it had to be done! Also, I'm very, VERY sorry for the long time it took to update. I've been having familial issues lately. But, at least the past is coming! Plus, a cello playing kid!Gajeel was just TOO good to pass up. I can SO see him being a total Orch Dork!  
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**And you now know a bit more about the family. Don't worry, next chapter will be far, FAR more interesting. I'm also not very happy with this update, but next one I'm excited about!  
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**As always, my readers are wonderful and I send so many kisses and hugs your way, dear readers! **_Happy-nerd, HeirToTheShadows, FairyTailxoLove, MaliceArchangela, Guest, Rosa Pendragon, KuroshitsujiLawliet, Tazski, Helekiller2, WaterPanda, hellbunnyxxx, Ulcaasi, GjinkaGirl, Levina, Miss Mungoe, Heve-chan, adamski, Thegodeater, Ureko, Mrs. HopeEstheim, HetaliaHeart, and obako-chan97F . T! _**Thank you all and stay tuned. As of now, I'm considering updating every Sunday. But, trust me, I WILL finish this story. I have bits and pieces worked out for all of it, and I feel like it'll be past 10 chapters almost definitely. I try to write a MINIMUM of 4,000 words per update so there's something to grab onto and it's not just a measly 1,000 word scene. ****  
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**As always, thank you for reading. :) I appreciate it greatly, and thank you for your patience! Please point out any mistakes you find so I may fix them and make the story more enjoyable. Also, if you find a plot hole or don't understand something, feel free to criticize me or ask questions! I'm not perfect, but I try to make my story as easy to tie off and enjoy as possible. Also, take note of the quotes, because soon, they'll start to make more and more sense. ;P  
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